POLITICS IN PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1915, Page 7

POLITICS IN PEACE.

PROMISE OF A QUIET SESSION. THE NEW LOAN. SAID TO HE FOR £10.000,000. (By Wire—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. 'lhe work of the Parliamentary session was .begun to-day in an atmosphere of political peace. The Governor's speech announced t'aat no legislation of a. character' likely to provoke partv strife would be submitted to Purlia"jnent during 1 the course of the war, and ( this tone was preserved in the course of the afternoon's proceedings in the House of Representatives. The . party leaders vied with one another in politeness. The Prime .Minister said that he would be very glad indeed to have the assistance and support of the Opposition in the work that had to be done by Parliament in connection with the war. Sir Joseph Ward said the Opposition wished to assist the Ministry ill every way possible, and his further statement that the Government must be responsible for its own policy could hardly be regarded as a reservation. It was rather an indication that the Opposition would avoid debate of a contentious character, even,when it doubted the wisdom of the line of policy c'losen by the Ministers. The Imprest Supply Bill passed without debate after a couple of questions courteously put by the Leader of the Opposition had been as courteously answered by the Minister of Finance. The disposition of both political parties at the moment is undoubtedly towards peace. The proceedings at tluj Opposition caucus held yesterday have not been divulged beyond the bare announcement that ;!D members were present or accounted for and that the gathering was cordial and unanimous; but one gathers that the Liberal and Labor members left the meeting place resolved to treat the Government generously and to avoid anything in the nature of party wrangling as long as the Ministers kept their legislation in Imperial channels. They realise that with 311 Opposition vote's against the Government's 40 votes a crisis could be precipitated almost at any time, but the majority of the Opposition members are honestly anxious to avoid even the appearance of seeking a mere party advantage at the present juncture. The Ministers and their followers, on the other hand, are showing signs of a realisation of that a Government without a well-defined majority of its own must not expect its opponents to make all the sacrifice; and all the advances. It is reported that the two party leaders had a meeting to-day. If the afternoon's proceedings are to be regarded as the first . fruit of their consultation the outlook may be regarded as cheerful from the point of view of the people- who want political peace. .Some optimistic members were saying this afternoon that the business of' the House might be conducted during the next week or two without the division bell being called upon to sound a single note. It would be rash to prophesy anything of the .kind, but to-day's proceeding.-! go far to confirm the impression formed previously that if there is party fighting this session it will lake place some time alter the more important of the War Kills haw- been considered. The Loan Hill will bo introduced nc\t week if the debate eu the Address-in-, Reply is completed in time. The Minister of Finance is baldly likely to produce his Bill until thai debate has been closed, since be will not wish to provide talkative member-, with additional material for discussion. The amount of the proposed loan is expected to be Javge, No less a figure than £10,000,000 nas been mentioned, but the Opposition will not carrying criticism beyond the point of saying, as Sir Joseph Ward said to-day, that Ihe Government must be responsible for its own policy. S>ome of the minor war measures may tempt the Liberal members, and particularly the Labor members, to express adverse opinions plainly. They will touch the cost of living problem, for example, and various aspects o[ the financial problem; but the present intention of the Opposition, as far as can be gathered, is to state their disapproval or record their protests without forcing divisions uimcccsarily. Time will show how far that intention can be realised.