The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1920. AN AUSTRALIAN RIFT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3501, 12 June 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1920. AN AUSTRALIAN RIFT.

With. which 1 s i;c_QrpQz°ated _"Thé Taihape Post and Waimarino News."

. ".—w-# k-‘€—.._—__--—. I There is a rift in the Australian ‘political lute. The most outstanding man of ability has resigned, and it is (remarkable that the Prime l\/linist.-er, Mr W. M. Hughes, to whom the resig- ' nation is stated to have been -sent, dr2_ clares that he has no knov/ledge whatever of it. Similar conilic-ting .~'ia=ements are becoming 1-egn=r,:":ully .00 frequent for they are z-egarcled by the people as right out lies and conse--quently have all the distmbizig effcvts ‘that deliberate lying usua'-.ly inv:~n'es.l ‘More serious than any n.s!_>==cl' of false-I lhood is the fact itself am the mm; :W, A_ Watt has resigned frnm zhej aC.omnlonweaith Cabinet, for. he is a nian of Enzpirexvide notoriety as a financier and businessman. There does not app€?.l' to be another man in sight to direct the affairs of the Ti'easury| ‘with the same ability and success as; !Mr Wzui has rather surprisingly ex-g 'hibited._ and it is probably because Mr‘ F}-lughes does not desire Mr Wait to slip away that he is not preparéil to admit that the breach, wherever it may I he, is. in-eparalily final. According to! V-'=.7’l-Ir‘.v Mr. Hilgl)(—s .<phin.\'—likc donics, that he has any kllo=.vl:+dg._:c of his‘ Tl'z':‘BSlll'Cz".‘s‘ resignation, while l\-Ir; Willi I"'l”elios, .-tating that Mr T-lag-hes} has in his possession-all lite circumstance; of the resigniltinn. He says that frequent cables _r:assecl between himself and Mr Hughes, and that his; resignation was received by the (‘tom.] monwei-alth Premier on t‘]‘."_J 2-ith Mega! ’l‘here the inatter 1-osl‘s, one a.~r.s3r’.-ing} he has left the C&lblnO’f._. me other c'c—% c.-laring Iha.‘~_ he knows iiolfiiinpg what-U ever of-' any such occ:lz'i'eu(:.'.>. Of;

course, this situation c.mn€>i‘ be main[tained for long‘. anrl El? is hoped wnfn .almost an Empire-wide hone {list the confiiction of statement will be found to be nothing more than :111otl1er on-.,e of mble bungling, altliough present aplappearances are distinctly to the r.-.rm-trary. .-What really is of prime importance to Australia. is the prospect of losing the xei-vices of Mr Watt, who is supposed to be now representing the Comm'onwea.l'th Government in London, where the adjustment of Australian financial interests‘ with the Home Government is proceeding. British financial newspapers regard the resig-; nation as something serious for Aus-A ’fl'3lia; it may create an awkward position as it will leave financial negotiations in. the air; they are hopeful that some statement" as to the exact nature of the strain between Mr Watt and] the Premier may shortly be made pub

lic as the negotiations proceeding be-

tween the Dominion Government and Ithe Imperial Author-ities are of para[mount importance. Among a multilplicity of rumours it is said that Mr ‘Watt is abandoning politics for busi>ness, be that as it may, City circles affirm that bankers, financiers and businessmen have been greatly impressed with him. The ‘result of the resignation, should it prove true, may be another general election in Australia, but such an extremely dang!“-I‘ouS development would surely be striveu against by Mr Hughes. to the last ounce of effort. A disturbed politicai situation in Australia such as a general appeal to the constituencies would prove a considerable setback to postwar reconstruction, and would tend to render already strained financial conditions a. matter for grave consideration. It is doubtful indeed what elements a new parliament would consist of, and it may be that a party would he returned who -would virtually revolutionise the present government policy. At best it would set up a condition of ferment that might be disadvantageously felt in New Zealand_ That which may unhinge reconstruction in Australia might result in disturbing the progress of reconstruction in this Dominion, owing chiefly to the closer relationships that are being cultivated by at least one great section of people. There are certainly great and manifold reasons for ‘earnestly desiring that the Hon. Mr Watt may yet reverse his"»intentions, and that he will continue and complete the negotiations between the two Governments which he has so auspiciously commenced, for it is realised in New Zealand that whatever is agreed to between Britain and Australia. may largely influence for good similar questiom outstanding‘ between Britain and New Zealand.