WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1915, Page 3

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

POLITICAL SITUATION. LIGHT UPON THE NATIONAL CABINET. _ , By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the course of ail interview with a representative of the Wairarapa Daily News, Mr. J. T. Hornsby lias been talking of the genesis, anil possible exodus, of the National Cabinet, with much less reticence than imposed upon the party leaders by Ihe delicacy of their positions and the gravity of their responsibilities He implies that the main difference between the Reformers and the Liberals during the negotiations was the quota of representation from each side, and that when the Liberals obtained equality, through the intervention of the Governor, the only serious obstacle to an agreement was removed Mr Hornsby does not expect the Cabinet to lie a happy family, but if the members can agree upon the incidence of the large, additional taxation that will be required they should have no difficulty in hanging together through the life of the present Parliament, which, in the event of the war not being ended by the middle of 1917, will be prolonged for another year. THE BUDGET. It is understood that the Financial Statement, which Sir Joseph Ward is now preparing, will be delivered towards the end of next week. If there should be any further delay there will be anxiety on both sides of the House and in the country, as it will bean that Ministers are having some difliculty ill reconciling their conflicting ideas, and are evenly enough divided to make a deadlock possible. What would follow upon .that..catastrophe, ho ope likes to contemplate. Meanwhile the rank and file of both parties are promising themselves a rollicking time during the discussion of the Budget. "We arc aU absolved from our party ties," Mr. Hornsby said to the interviewer, "and criticism will be intensified. The fire of trial through which the proposals of the National Cabinet will pass will be greater than when a party has to fight its measures through against the usual opposition.'' Another member,, who also dearly loves a go-as-you-please in a political debate, maintains that the right attitude would be for the whole of the members outside the Cabinet to constitute themselves as opposition. DEFENCE MATTERS. Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. il. McNub are at l'almerston North this evening, addressing a patriotic meeting, at which the local people are hoping the Ministers will side with them in their ell'ort to keep the further reinforcements away from Trentham. That the local people will be disappointed goes without saying, as Sir Joseph ami his colleague know full well what is due to (he Minister of Defence, but apart from (lie local patriotism—sometimes stigmatised as parochialism—which induce? the I'almerston folk to believe they have an ideal training ground, the case against Trentham does not grow less impressive as the days and the weeks go on. The finished soldier is not given to complaining, but a few of the men who left on Saturday for parts unknown chrried away pleasant recollections of their old camp. The mistake the newspaper critics are making is in directing all their vehemence against the Minister, whose chief fault is in having an almost reverential regard for the opinions of the professional men by whom he is advised.