POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 59, 27 July 1912, Page 4

POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

A HARD ROW TO HOE. By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. With the session so close at hand—it resumes on Wednesday afternoon—the attention of those concerned in political, matters naturally turns to the possibilities of the next few weeks. The Government, from the Prime Minister downwards, is girding up its loins for the combat, and none are so bold as to disguise the fact that "there's bound to be a row." During the brief recess the newMinisters have been making themselves, as far as possible, conversant with their several departments, considering the possibilities of reform in matters of Administration, and getting the strength of things generally. It must not be forgotten that the Massey Government came into power with a great many preconceived ideas as to the directions in which reforms could and ought to be effected. For years and years most of them have been in the position of critics and, as in other walks of life, the old adage holds true that "lookers-on see most of the game." They have not, of course, had the benefit of inside knowledge or information. They have only been permitted to stand on the bank and watch the progress of the game, but in that capacity, being knowledgeable* men, they have arrived at certain conclusions as to how the game ought tube played, and those new theories will, it is understood, be put vigorously forward when they themselves are in th'e position of having to actively defend the Ministerial goal. No pronouncement of policy will probably be made until gome days after Parliament has resumed, but the Imprest Supply Bill, which is to be brought down when the House meets on. Wednesday next, should provide au excellent opportunity of enabling the parties to arrive at the lines of divergence, and to establish their separate political positions.

In regard to finance, it would appear that the policy of the Government will be loans at long dates, in place of th» much discredited short-dated debentures of the old Government, but it is wife to say that the chief hurdle that the Government will have to cross will be the land question. Recent meetings in the country go to demonstrate that the country people, who are naturally i» close touch with the settlers, are keenly interested in the solution of the problem. Mr. Massey, they declare, must produce, a Land Bill on definite policy lines, and opinion on the subject is so widely divergent that it is impossible to imagine that all parties will be satisfied. It is the general opinion that in some form or other Mr. Massey will propose to give all people who take up Crown lands the option of the freehold, and that lands for settlement shall be disposed of as far as possible, for cash. It is likely, too, that a good deal will be proposed by the Government in the way of reducing expenditure by methods which will not be generally appreciated by the public. Even in the conduct of Parliament itself it is safe to say that thousands of pounds per annum' could be saved by careful administration. No one outside the four corners of Parliament has the slightest idea of the butte sums spent daily on printing matter, most of which is never read, nearly all of which is unnecessary, and tons of which are carted off to the destructor at the end of every session. . Then, again, it appears, though fittk is being said about it, that the Government is keeping a very close eye on the public serv.ee During the course of the Ballance, Seddon, and Ward regimes hundreds of appointments were made which at the time were severely commented on by what was then the Opposition and is now the Government. Aot all these were bad, some were exceptionable, but there is no doubt that there is latent in the minds of the late Opposition that the time has now come for the redress of grievance* in this respect, and that the fat sow will no longer be greased. This is altogether apart from points regarding administration ok utiok the Government his » good Ma „ r ideaS) wMeh x ! find expression. r J *K?Ir- 8 ! ° thei ", )iand ' tho members of make no secret of the fact that they are up against a very hard proportion. Against them will be a*rayed all the forces of the late Government, including Sir Joseph Ward, who has already evinced a disposition to make a political nuisance of himself, that m ay well eauw them di frf w» \}-' Mackenzle had for months been swotting up points in the expecta,ri"m . B SM n cmer g enc . v has\ow amen and they may be. expected to make things very lively when the House » again called upon to decide the Ssues placed before it. So far there i( 5 no fear of dissolution. Thev are con * on ,.M. prevent, members sacrificimr l.emselves on the altar of principle 3 " that, however close the contest mav be and it will probably be clese at tLeJ they will emerge victorious from the fight. i n any case it is generally agreed that the next three months 'wiU Xre- > but that when the curtain falls at the end of the session the Reform Government will have done sufficient to justify its continuance n, office to the end of the prescribed Parliamentary period