POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 211, 5 March 1912, Page 4

POLITICAL.

THE WAIRAU PETITION. > .j , By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. . In the Wairau petition, after arguM, ment, the judge made an order for particulars as to the election expenses to', best of petitioners' knowledge and be- • lief; also that the petitioners are pre* . eluded from giving evidence in support of " any charge or case in which the par- •' ticulars have not been delivered, except i by consent of the trial court. Particulars are to he supplied' on or before" Saturday next. The cost of the summonsis to be paid by petitioners to respondent. •

MR. WILFOKD AND THE NEW MINISTRY. f

Wellington, Last Night, i At the opening of the new Town I Board offices at Upper Hutt to-day the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister for Public Works, referred to Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., who is in England on account of illness. "If he is not in the reconstructed Ministry of which the people are talking," said the Hon. McKenzie, "he I must be in the Ministry before ■ very * long." The Minister regretted that advantage had been taken of Mr. Wilford's ; absence from the House through illness ' in a way that no political party any- • where else would have followed.

SESSION IMPRESSIONS. VIEWS OF LABOR MEMBERS. The reticent and cautious Mr. VeitcJi gave the briefest response of all when ha was approached by the Wellington Times for his impression of the session. - "It is difficult to say, what will happen yet," he said. "We cannot gon on as we are at present. What I mean by that is this: For the present the parties appear to be of equal power, but it is quite likely that in the near future the influence of the more progressive element will become stronger." PLATFORM CAMPAIGN WANTED. "We have just managed to keep the ' spurious Reform party at bay," was Mr.T' Robertson's verdict. "The position that I the Liberal party finds itself in it at tin present moment is largely due to the faet that it has been inattentive as a pro; pagandist. It has simply been content to follow on the old lines, and its lead- " ers have got out of touch with the masses. The Opposition party has bee* - able to focus public attention on the administration. It is easy to act" the part of the critic of any administrsttion, and this constant reiteration of criticisms, combined with the fact that the Government.was not tackling problems like the cost of living/ has brought about a feeling of discontent among thfc people. The Government has been blindly aware of effects, without seeking for ' causes, and the Opposition has been fo- f cussing its attention on the effects. The" Liberal party has learned a lesson, and J if the leaders will take to the platforra :> and conduct a vigorous campaign of pro- ';■■ paganda the- party will likely obtain a./ new lease of life. The Labor members, . by maintaining their strict identity as a -! party, will probably find it possible to J co-operate with the Liberal party for; a some years to come. The result of that co-operation at any rate will be a'much mpre radical political outlook than has been the case in the past."

LIBERALS SATISFIED. ! \ ■ "Owing to the diplomacy, tact and ability of Sir Joseph Ward," said M& Witty, "what might have proved a vie- j tory for the Opposition has turned out a. signal defeat for them, largely owing, also, to want of tact on their' own side. This session, short as it has been, hask done more to bring Labor and Liberalism " together than any session since I hav».. been' in the House. At the commeneement of the session every member's hand was against every other's, but vre ar« leaving a united party, and one that will make itself felt throughout the country." Mr. L. M. Isitt said the chief impression left on his mind by the session was first the evidence it had furnished of the strength and ability of the Prim* Minister. From- start to finish his con- • duct and the handling of the position ha)d» been that of an exceptionally able man. The next impression was that the debat* j conducted by the Opposition had justi- '\ fled every word he had said about th» , foundationles9 nature of the slanders' tjl' which Sir Joseph Ward had been subjected. Whatever might be the ultimate result of the struggle in the Houseyat ,at present constituted, the effect of th« session would be seen in a very milch closed and more real sympathy between Labor and Liberalism than there had been for some time. Some of the Labor members had definitely stated that they were absolutely deceived and misled by the representations made to them by th« Opposition regarding the Government's conduct, until a refutation of the charge? enlightened them. ... Mr. G. Laurenson's opinion was thaS ( the fortnight had been one or the most" remarkable in his political life. To him, as one who believed in progressiva legislation, it promised to be productive of most beneficial results. When tfie party arrived in Wellington it was disorganised; it left Wellington a united 'hody. The result would be a hardening up in the ranks of all progressive sections in New Zealand. Mr. Massey and his Conservative supporters had reached their nearest point to the taking of the political destinies of New Zealud.

OPPOSITION FIRST LIEUTENANT. GRAVE PEARS FOR POLIO?. The Opposition leader's chief lieutenant is Mr. James Allen, member for Bruce. He is leaving Wellington with the conviction that the success of the Liberal-Labor party cannot last long. "I* cannot conceive that a Cabinet composed of the different sections of tha* party can long command the confidence*' not only of the country, but even of j their own party. They are so in opinion and ther« are so many extremists amongst themselves that agreement seems impossible. We can judge of their weakness by the fact that they did not feel strong enough to meet Parliament yesterday, and did not undertake to meet it next week. It all goes to show their weakness when they postpone the field of battle until June, 'j Would it not be possible that if the" combination agrees upon a particular reform such as the stiffening of thegraduated land tax, that it could hold together for that purpose? the .interviewer asked. "Possibly," replied Mr. Allen dubiously. "But other things have to be administered by the Government, and I have grave fears that the defence policy is .in idan-.l ger." " V-ERY SIMPLE." Mr. Massey was asked if he cared to j express his views on the situation, bui .he replied with a ahrug, and-the re'mark: "The position is very sinrpie. Two men pledged to oust the Ministry went back on their pledges. There is./ "■ ■;■ aofchingelMto»y,"_ , v £s||#