The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1915. A NATIONAL MINISTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1915. A NATIONAL MINISTRY.

It is matter for deep reg-ret that tlic Government and the Opposition were ur.aWe tb come to an agreement over the. proposals for a National Ministry, especially as negotiations disclose the existence of a feeling on both sides that the best interests of the country, and of the Empire also, would l)e served by following the example of the Home Government. Never have tho evils of party government been more strongly emphasised tha,n over tHiis matter. The need for •presenting a> united front at this crisis in national and Imperial affairs, and for bringing to bear on all questions of the moment the best, most reliable and nikist statesmanlike material that the dominion could produce, was of the utmost urgency. The duty of the party lcuder.s was plain, and should have sufficed to ensure the requisite spirit of compromise that would have achieved the desired result. The correspondence Ideal has passed between the Prime Minister and tlic Leader of the Opposition shows all too clearly that there was a want 0.1 trust the one in the other. -At first, the sticking point was as to the number of Ministers that nt-rc to be drawn from each side, but. subsequently, it also became a crucial question as to the disposition of tlic purlfobns. ;M,r. Massey claimed, as „ matter of course, the Premiership and the portfolio of Defence, while to Mr. Allen wa* a-signed that of Finance. At this proposition (Sir Joseph Wa.nl practically billed the prospect of .coalition, on the ground that, not only did the Government insist on having a majorily of on. in the Cabinet, but al-o 'appropriated the (aw, most important, portfolios, thus giving the Opposition practical!v no ~-,,iit.Tol over the vital questions connected with the war and its consequent liiunieial burdens. Admitting (hat Sir Joseph Ward's, service, would have best been utilised as finance Minister ami (hat Mr. A]],„i's „„udd!e of (!.,. Defence Department ju-tilbs ;l fining,', (here is >li:! ,ll! "' :i t" be sa.id against (he p-,- n . pose,! arr'.in.'icim-iit. the elV.vl of which would he to muzzle (! ,,, Opposition „ 4) the Miie.f'ou of taxation and the ~,st »' I.vim''. It may be that the fear was greater than the a, lual danger, leaf if '"a- evident, fro,,, t I, ( . >Uirt ni u „, „ n . tint ion, that a„ agreement eonld o„:.v be arriv,',] at by mutual concessions Parly spirit ,],.„ prevailed, and unless w.-e counsels are to be followed there may be trouble in store before the ses f ~U T-l'- qncti...., „r war (axa-I tion and the prevention of the exploitstun o) the wage-earners arc thomv sublets to deal with. The alternative sii.'ses-j ted by Sir Jo,Seph--the enlargement of I the scope of the Secret Defence Com I nift(.ee-is still availahle, but, as that '

I wo;:hl leave tihe parties at liberty to I briii" a.hout 11 politisil oris:.-., it wcn-.-A

not serve tin- same purpose as a National Ministry. There is. however, yet room for 'hope that the dignity of tlhe country may not be aliowcd to suffer, for his Excellency the Governor lia.s stepped into tlie breach and conununi.cat oil with the party leaders, and as a, eoiisei|ueiiee a. ■' very i)iv])o>!ant conference " i.s expected to be held to-day. In faking such an exceptional course, Lord Liverpool has emphasised the vital importance of mi agreement living arrived at, and it may be assumed that he will use his best endeavors to that end. The opportunity to rise above petty party instincts is a golden one, and we are confident) that if success follows the Governor's intervention—as it sdiouilrt do— the people of the dominion "'ill feel profoundly relieved and grni ificd.