POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1918, Page 5

POLITICAL.

IMPENDING CHANGES. Special to News. vV eliingtoii, Oct. 22, A good many cnauyes in ana out oi the Ministry' are iiseiy to take place 'in tlie near luture. i' or auiae tune past it lias been known tiiat Mr. Massey or Sir Josepu" Ward is to take tlie position of' London Minister and member oi the lot-1 periai Cabinet, if the proposed scheme is given effect to as no doubt it will be. Sir Thomas Mackenzie has only a short tenure oi the High Commissionerahip, which will be taken next year by one of the two Ministers named, whereupon Sir Thomas will return to New Zealand and re-enter public life, very probably to lead a party.

The Hon. T. M. Wilford will retire from public life next year. He has had a long record of public service for one who is still on the young side, and might go much further than he has if he had the ambition, but it is understood hU decision to retire is irrevocable. The Hon. J. Hanan and the Hon. G. WRussell are very unhappy in the present Cabinet, and it is quite on the cards that they will '"pull out" and lead an Opposition to the present Government. They have been preparisg a good deal of ammunition, and could make tire coming session a fairly lively one if they chose.

In the immediate futttfe it is a poasi-' bility not remote that the last-named Minister will be leading the new party that is emerging—Radical cum Extreme r Labor. In this event, the Hon. Myen and Hon. W. D. S. Mao Donald will be found on -the side of the Moderate* Liberals and what are kvown as the Reformers. t

It is understood that the Hon. W. XL «,$ Carncross will he appointed Speaker 5 of the Legislative Council, which gener- ■ allv carries with it a knighthood- The' ,- I ':' Kltham gentleman should have received the appointment on the previous occa- > ) Rion, hut other considerations entered . into the election that will probably b» 1 absent on this occasion.