NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1915, Page 6

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

: ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE %S. ■-;■;■■■■ house. i By Tolograpli.-Special ll> B-aily ;N ' W3 - I ' ' Wellington. Wednesday. Neither ihe Prime' Minister nor ihe Louder of tlii' Opposition ro-e to what Mr. Ma-soy hiim-ilf would have called "the occasion," when referring in the House this afternoon to the approaching culmination of Hie N.iiiona! Cabinet negotiations. They bot : ) were anxious to avoid saying too much, and the restraint they placed upon themselves prevented them being either eloquent or impressive, Mr. Mas3jy recited in the barest outline the progress of tie negotiations down to Friday last, when the Parties appeared to have definitely agreed to difler, and then, after paying a rather labored compliment to the Governor, gave in the fewest possible words the results of His Excellency's intervention. Sir Joseph Ward did scarcely better, though he did manage to convey to the Rouse and galleries a clearer idea of the proceedings at the conference, and o ; f the agreement between the leaders. THE BASIS OF THE AGREEMENT. The Prime Minister gave only -.vhat he described as the important factors in the agreement. There was to be an equal representation of the two parties in the Cabinet; Mr. Massey himself was to continue to hold the office 'of .Trims Minister, Sir Joseph Ward was to take the portfolio of Finance, and Mi', Alien was to retain the portfolio of DoiVnee. There were many details which could n >t he discussed then, and the House would ho asked to adjourn for a fortnight in order ,to allow lime for their arrangement. Mr. Massey rose a second time to express hia warm appreciation of the ready selfsacrifice of his colleagues, and cf the consistent loyalty of the rank and file of.his Party, and finally resinned his seat amidst the faintest murmur of applause, t... NO COALITION, v .> ; ;: \

I Sir .Joseph Ward, like Mr. Masscy, referred only lo the cardinal features of the agreement, but he sa ; d lie wanted it to be understood, by 1 ijo House and by the country, that aNat'onal Cabinet did not mean coalition, or the extinction of the identity of either party. Mr. Masscy would retain the lcadorshio of the Reform Parly, and he would retain the leadership of '.he Liberal Party, ar.d while they would work f .o.«!iy logetlicr 'for the purposes for which the Cabinet was being formed, troy would abandon none of their principles, or tlu-ir honest convictions. Nec.-ssnrily tlirve would be concessions on both sides, and compromises which would not bo thought of if they were at liberty to give free play to their preferences, but this did not mean thaleilher leader had deserted his friends Or forgotten his obligations. It simply meant 'that the war had lo take precedence of everything else, and that members, had to subordinate themselves to the needs of the Empire. ,

A TARTY OF O>;E. Mr. John Payne, the. member for Grey Lynn, said that he could not spoal: for the official Labor Party, but, personally, he felt that the special circumstances justified the formation of a National Cabinet, and this being the case, he was determined to give it his loyal support in such measures as it might deem necessary for the welfare of New Zealand, and of Empire. The first hearty applause of the afternoon, which greeted Mr. Payne's admirable, bold speech, was followed by the singing of the National Anthem, and then the House passed on to other business.

. FEELINC! IN THE HOUSE. -There are mixed feeling's on both sides of the House in regard to the outcome of the long-drawn out negotiations. The Reformers confess now they wore merely bluffing when they offered the Opposition three representatives in a Cabinet of nine, but many of them hold that equal representation was more than the Liberals had any right to expect. "Ward out-manoouvr.od our fellows," was the laconic comment of a member of the Party, who had been looking for better terms. No doubt the Leader of the Opposition proved himself the better letter-writer. He appealed more directly to the public sense of fair play, and in the end the public sense of fair play settled the matter. It was on the terms sugsosted by Sir Joseph Ward, a fortnight ago, that settlement was linal- i ly readied. Of course, there is disappointment among the (lovernment's sup- | porters at the disappearance of their j own chance of promotion, but they | frankly admit the Cabinet will be very materially strengthened by the admission of five men from the other side of the House, and they are not nursing a grievance. I THE LIBERAL PARTY. Jugding from their observations in the lobbies, the majority of the Liberal members, though perfectly loyal to then' chief, are not over pleased by the new aspect of affairs. "We are being used to prop up a moribund Government, and we ear:'!, help it. because of the war," was the complaint of one sturdy Liberal, who has no aspirations towards Ministerial'rank, and it seemed to represent the view of the little knot of friends to whom it was addressed. There can he no question that such sacrilices as have to be made to bring about a stable National Cabinet will conic chiefly from the Opposition. Everything has gone in its favor since the general election, and now. with a majority of only one on the other side, it has to give up all opportunities and assist in securing its opponents in plliec. It must be said, to its credit, that it is accepting its new role with cheery good-humor.

; LALSUR'.S ATTITUDK. Tin- official Labor Party was conspicuous bv its ab-eucc when -Mr. Massoy and Sir .los.>i>!i Ward spoke their little pieces, but Ibis may signify' no more (ban its academic disapproval nl' compromises of all kinds. The members of the I'artv look (heir scats shortly after Air I'avne bad spoken, and their friendly relations with their allic, seemed unimpaired. H is certain, however, that th- inpatient -eotion of Labor outside the House, not, perhaps, a very formidable body, will be move or less irritated aiid that its irritation v, ill lead to a ,crio.H vifdr.v between the l.ib.'i-aK and the o ,-eat'body of worker- no one acquainted V.ilb lb,- fad- believes. l)li: that it will pioduee i, -cod deal o| loud talk diirin". the next week or two ;s quite possible. THE KilW MINISTRY. Tl is beinp: taken for granted ftat (be new Ministry will consist of ten members, iive Reformers and five I'd ''' '" This will necessitate (lie rc! : '-> only two of the present M-.i- ■

Mr, Homes and Mr. Rhodes are being selected by the man in the street for the sacrifice, though there, arc. certain quidnuncs 'who name Mr. ■ Eraser and Mr. Hcrdmun. The Minister of Public Works is said to be anxious to be relieved, while it is whispered that the Attorney-General h:'.s ether aspirations, none connected with advancement, in his own profession. It is understood that Labor has declined representation in the Cabinet,, and that Dr. MoNab and Mr. Wilford prefer to stand aside. Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Myers, and Mr. Russel are. mentioned ns the certain ones from the Liberal side, and Mr. Sidey, Mr. Mac Donald, Mr. Forbes, Mr. ILtnan, and Mr. Witty among (he probables. SYDNEY PATER'S COMMENT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright, Sydney, August i>.

The Telegraph, commenting on the New Zealand National Ministry, says that usually in a thickly populated country personal differences form an insurmountable, obstacle. The Labor Party is numerically negligible in New Zealand, and for that reason no difficulty has ariscd which tact, patriotism, and some self-sacrifice was unable to overcome. It contrasts the position with that of the Australian Labor Party, ruled by a caucus which forces the Cabinet to introduce contentious legislation.