WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1918, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE MAORI BY-ELECTION. A I.'LKXHOUA OK CANDIDATES. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, Jsii. 2».. The multitude of (.utididaic." for lUe Southern Maori sent in tfie House of Representatives is occasioning the pavl v leaders some little embarrassment, fiefore the party truce and tile formation of the National Government the Reform majority in the House, with Sir Walter Lang in the chair, consisted of a single Maori's vote, the return of Mr. T. Henare for the Northern District having been the deciding factor in the election of 1914, and of course the position wmtld remain unchanged, if a Liberal were returned in succession to the late Mr. T. Parata for the Southern District. But a number of electors in the constitiffinoy are refusing to submit to the party discipline that has been imposed upon the Europeans and arc putting forward candidates of. their own choosing to oppose Mr. Henare Parata. the deceased member's brother who has received the imprimatur of the National Government. Already there are half-a-dozen aspirants for political honors in the field and though the official candidate seems at the moment to have the best chance of success the mind *of the Maori elector is notoriously the moat difficult of all minds to fathom. TITO "EUROPEAN EXAMPLE. The difficulties that have arisen in connection with the Wellington North seat are not calculated to draw the Maori electors towards a sane and loyal decision. The seat is not vacant yet, owing, it is generally understood, to the Hqji. A. L. Herdman beng disinclined to change his place of residence just now, but it.\i*' tolerably certain the constituency will have to elect a new member within the next month or two. In the meantime a number of Reformers, dissatisfied with the selection of Mr. Luke as the official candidate, are looking about for a man mr.rc after their own heart to carry the party colors. The gentlemen who have been approached with, this end vin view have shown no deeply rooted objection to offering themselves up on the altar of public duty, but have refused to accept nomination without the approval of the National Government. This they aro not likely to obtain, Mr. Massey having given his word to Mr. Luke, and with only Mr. Hollard and Mr. Poison to "oppose him the Mayor would 'be in little danger of losing the seat for the party, "CONTENTS NOTED." '"'' The Prime Minister's curt reply to Mr. J. Vigor Brown's telegram cons'eying to him the resolution passed at Dr. Thaeker's meeting in Napier demanding the, immediate resignation of the National Cabinet, has given rise to a rumor that the doctor, who is a captain in the Reserve of Officers of the New Zealand Medical Corps, is to foe tried by court-martial for having publicly criticised the actions of his superior officers. This, it is scarcely necessary to say. is just what the doctor would like to happen. It would help him in his own constituency and would advertise liim in the country beyond. But it seems highly improvable the authorities have any intention of assisting him in this fashion. Mr. Massey during recent years has learnt the value of brevity and "contents noted" seems in the circumstances as good a reply as any other that could havo been sent to Mr. Brown's message. The Minister scarcely could have discussed seriously the demand for the Cabinet's resignation. MINISTER'S RESPONSIBILITIES. Ministers have more important matters than the ebulitions of irresponsible members of Parliament to engage their attention just now. Dr. Thacker, though a little impetuous, and not always tactful, has on occasions proved a very useful critic in the House, 'hut he cannot expect the Government to accept a resolution to which he has persuaded a meeting in Napier as a vote of ng-confidence- by the country. Mr. Massey and his colleagues are now face to face With sonje of the biggest problems that have confronted"" them since the beginning of the war and it is hardly the time to make and unmake Governments by the vote of an isolated public meeting. Criticism there ought to foe, and doubtless there will be—-much of !t deserved—but'to play heroics in thWijjay they were played at Napier is only'to defeat the demand for reform.