WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

INDICTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT AT THE HANDS OP A B'EIEND.

(Parliamentary Correspondent). Wellington, July 16In a letter appearing in Tho Dominion this morning, Mr. H. F. von Haast says things concerning the National Government which, during the last few months, has been in the minds and on the lips of thousands of people, who heartily welcomed the merging of the two principal political parties in the State, and fondly hoped it would realise their ideals of national efficiency and achievement. Mr von Haast was 'a zealous and very effective worker in the interests of the Reform Party, in the bad old days of division and strife, and doubtless 'when the country returns to normal conditions he will bt found on the some side of politics, but in the meantime he reviews the position with the utmost candour and .impartiality. Taking ns his text Sir Francis Bell's admission in the Legislative Council that the Government has "not organised yet," he frames n scathing indictment against the men whom he holds to he responsible for the country's unreadiness.

AFTER THREE YEARS. Mr von Haast takes Sir Francis Bell at his word. He accepts the Minister's confession that the Government has not organised yet, and puts a series of pertinent questions to the world at large. "For what purposo then," he asks, "have the members of the Government been elected by the people? For what purpose have they been appointed to the high and responsible offices of trustees for" the country ? For what do they draw their salaries as Ministers of tho Crown, if not to organise the country in this great war, in which the freedom, nay, the very existence, of the British Empire is involved?" Of course, he goes on to answer his own questions, and to allot the blame for the deplorable state of affairs they imply. It is not ihe fault nf the civilians, who have offered to help the Government, he protests, nor of the patriotic bodies, win) have done splendid work, nor of the yeoman farmer, nor of the doctors and lawyers, nor of the women. "It is the fault of Cabinet itself, which has drifted along, never looking ahead, never showing any foresight, and whose policy has been 'wait and see.'" ON BOTH RIDES. That very real dissatisfaction with the failure of the National Government to grapple with many of the problems created by the war is not confined to representative men on one side of poll tics alone may be judged from the speech delivered by the new member for TTawkc's Hay last'weck. Sir John Findlay, having been elected onlv a few weeks ago as a supporter of the Government, with the r llest freedom to criticise and suggest, mav fairly claim to be the bearer of the latest message from the constituencies. He is in the House, as lie*put it himself, neither to bury Caesar nor to praise him; not to gratify personal ambition, Iml to do f-ome thins, i; he can. to help tlic country of his birth. If the Government wished to have the support of the House, he said, after making a frank and generous acknowledgment of the work done by individual Ministers, it should take the House into its confidence. It had not done this. It had appointed a National Efficiency Board and then ignored its recommendations; it had shown a deplorable lack of initiative, and courage, it had flouted the principle of equality nf sacrifice, and it had tolerated blundering ineptitude on the part of some of its departmental officers. THF. NEW POSITION.

So fnr neither of the party leaders has dealt in any way exhaustively with the criticism they found awaiting thein when they returned to the Dominion. The ( . seem, indeed, scarcely to realise that the attitude of the House, as well as the attitude of the country, towardu the National Government lias undergone a marked change during their absence. Parliament is no longer to be awed into silence or into reluctant acquiescence by the appeals that were effective enough a year ago. Members are going to apeak their minds, without lessening of their loyalty, and without any desire to embarrass the National Government, and if Mr. Masse v and Sir Joseph Ward are wise they will adapt themselves to the altered circumstances. Mr. G. W. Russell's attempt on Friday to brush aside Sir John Findlav's criticism of the Government rather enhanced than otherwise the effect nf the new member's brilliant speech. The .Minister of Internal Affair- wandered fur afield for the materi ' 'i which he based his attack, and Ann' brriiiaht from Sir John the pointed retort that when he framed his opinion of a certain kind of political humbug he had in mind a gentleman who once represented the constituency of Ricearton. TH.F. LABOR PARTY.

Mr. MnCombs' retirement from the leadership of the Parliamentary Labor V:irty has provoked a vast amount of comment and some very plain speaking. The report that the troulde arose over di-enssions within the partv concerning its attitude towards six o'clock closing and towards the licensing question generallv \» now confirmed hv stdmisfiions from the member fnr Lyttelton himself, but il must not be assumed the members from whom he has separated himself are in liie accepted sense "pro-liquor." They may have philosophic doubts as to the best way of dealing with "the trade" or they may have conscientious convictions as to the Minorioritv of State control over prohibition. But their critics are proceeding on the assumption that their votes have been bought and are unsparing in their condemnation. Echoes of the trouble were heard in the city pulpits on Sunday, one reverend irentleman going to the 1 en9th of reading the share list of one of the local newspaper companies in order to make it plain why its paper was consistently opposed to reform, and another appealing to tthe working men to free themselves from the domination of the drink traffic. With Mr. McCombs' withdrawal the Labor (Partv in Parliament becames a much attenuated body. Mr. "Hindmarsh and Mr. Vcitch indicated their independence last session and now the- Hon. J. T. Paul is reported to be about to follow their example. Mr. Payne has iirver owned allegiance to the ((roup and Mr Webh is absent on leave, so that Mr. Walker seems at the moment to constitute the whole party. THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The dolmte on the Addross-in-Reply promises to be the standing dish in the HottFe o f Representatives for the next two or t'.iree weeks, and Ministers are showing no disposition to hurry if off the Order Poser. So far the debate has

been a little disappointing to those people who were looking for sensational happenings early in the session, but it has provided plenty of indications of the growing spirit of independence whicli was manifested nn vurious quarters during the recess. Sternberg are still tolerant o{ the shortcomings' of the National Government an<i etui ready to look upon its mistakes and its failures with au indulgent eye, but they show no reluctance in mentioning the mistakes and the failures and no diffidence in pointing out how they might have been avoided. Ministers have not yet grown quite accustomed to the new attitude of their supporters and one or two of them profess to 'believe a dissolution and a gen- , eral election are among the possibilities , of the present year. But a development of this sort is highly improbable. Mein- , hers will continue to* grumble at the ad- '■ ministration of this department and that, and will pick holes in the legislation of the Government, but they will s not deliberately seek an early dismissal | to their constituents. That the preL sent Parliament will run the full length . of its prolonged life is practically a , certainty.