POLITICAL

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 28 July 1917, Page 3

POLITICAL

A SIGNIFICANT PHASE OF NEW ZEALAND POLITICS. WELLINGTON, July 25. A private meeting of Liberal members and a representative of the Labour party, Mr. W. A. Veitch, has been held to consider the advisab'leness of arranging for organised criticism of the Government policy and legislation; also for conserving individual rights of members under the National Administration. It has been thought for some time that the absence of searching criticism has had the effect of giving the Government almost autocratic control of Parliament. A spirit of unanimity was manifested, and it was agreed to arrange for a full caucus of the Liberal and Labour parties. The movement is regarded as being a significant phase of the present political situation. NEW ZEALANDERS AND MESSINES. Mr. Malcolm drew the Premier’s attention to-day to an account in a London newspaper about the capture of Messines in which Australians were spoken of as victors, and no mention whatever was made of New Zeale-' ers. He asked Mr. Massey what was the truth of the matter, as he understood the Australians took no part, and that New Zealanders held pride of place in the capture of Messines Ridge. Mr. Massey replied that "?ie had not yet received particulars about Messines.

Members. Wbat about our official correspondent? The Premier continued to say that prior to leaving London he was told by a General that New Zealanders would take Messines, and would get the whole credit for it. He was quite certain that when the full -report came to hand it would be found' th-' what the General told -him had been planned had actually happened—-that the New Zealanders took the leading part in the capture of Messines, 'and deserved the greater part of the credit. A BOARD OF HUMBUGS. In the opinion of Mr. Nosworthy the principle of National Government was forced on Parliament by all the newspapers being on the same wicket in its favour. He told the House to-night that he had been against the formation of a Coalition Government, though he would support it till the end of the war. He hoped to see a return to the party Government which, in normal times, gave better government than coalitions The member emphatically condemned the butterfat levy, declaring that the Government must refund the money paid by dairy farmers. The speaker complained that there was too much time lost in discussing the method of meeting the wheat shortage. Instead of allowing farmers to get to work, the Board of Trade had fiddled with it. “If there ever was a fool of an institution,” declared Mr. Nosworthy, “it is the Board of Trade. It is a political institution set rip because the people asked what about the cost of living? If over I came across a Board of Humbugs it was that Board.” (Laughter.)