POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 323, 12 July 1912, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) and his colleagues are busily engaged to-day in taking possession of their quarters and acquainting themselves with the preliminary details of the Ministerial routine. Mr. Massey was fully occupied with administration work in the Cabinet room, but gave a few brief moments to a press ; representative.. THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP. Nothing had yet been done, he said, about the appointment of the High Commissioner, and it was not likely that anything would be done for a few days. | THE CHAIRMAN OE COMMITTEES. The Government had not yet consideied the appointment of a Chairman of Committed. CONTROL OE PARLIAMENT ', BUILDINGS

"We propose," said Mr. Massey, "to again give the Speakers of the two Houses control of the internal administration of Parliament Buildings. That right was formerly exercised, but was taken away many years ago, and we consider -that it ought to be restored." Asked as to what steps the Government proposed to take in connection with the new Parliament Buildings, preliminary work in connection with which lias fo'r weeks been in progress, Mr. Massey said that no decision had come to. He had asked the Minister for Public Works to obtain a report from the Department as to what had been done and is being done, in order that the Cabinet might have the fullest information before it when considering what steps should be taken.

ANOTHER MINISTER. In answer to a further question, he stated that it was proposed further to appoint another Minister. Some difference of opinion existed as tta the pretation of the "Legislature? Act in that particular respect, and the subject had been referred to the Crown Law Office for a report. In any case the appointment would not be made for some time. THE VACANT PORTFOLIO. , A good deal of interest is being displayed in the matter of the allocation of the vacant portfolio. In some quarters Mr. J. B. Hine is being mentioned as the next Minister, but there are others who believe that the choice will fall on a man who has not so far been mentioned, and that is Mr. David Buick, member for Palmerston North.

The New Zealand Times states that Mr. Millar has now definitely gone over to the Opposition. He visited the House on Friday, and was for several hours closeted with the leading members of the Opposition. Mr. Ngata, the same paper states, was not able to be present at the division, but if he had been it is extremely doubtful whether he would have voted for the Government.

Mr. Mackenzie does not appear, to have been troubled muck'toy the incidents either antecedent or subsequent to his deposition from-the Prime Ministership. On the Friday afternoon on which the no-confidence motion was to come off he was seen at a picture show quietly enjoying himself. On Saturday morning, after the division had deprived him of the first position in the country and reduced him to the rank and status of a plain working member, he motored out to the Hutt Valley. He returned to Wellington late in the afternoon, tendered his resignation and advised the Governor to send for Mr. Massey. At a later hour he was seen with his family at one of the theatres.