POLITICAL SPECULATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1918, Page 5

POLITICAL SPECULATIONS.

'■■ Hi, ,i, . CURRENT GOSSIP. (From Our Own Correspondent-) Wellington, Dec- 16. The departure of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward for London has revived speculation as to the appointment of a New Zealand Minister to the Imperial Cabinet. The Home Sovernment has made it abundantly plain that it wishes the Dominion to be directly represented, with the other Dominions, at. the council table of the Empire, and it has been assumed here that during their present trip one of the party leaders will, accept the responsibility. Till quite recently it was generally expected that Sir Joseph Ward would be the first occupant of tls high office. The Minister for Finance is qualified by experience, personality, aud temperament for the position, and rt was thought the wide opportunities it offered would appeal to him- But now shrewd people who have been noting the signs of the times are predicting that Mr. Mttssgv, not- Sir Joseph Ward, will be the Minister that will take up hid JOsidence in the great metropolis. THE RESIDENT MINISTER. Of course, the prediction rests at present upon the slenderest foundation. It may bo that neither of the party leaders would care to leave New Zealand. Sir Joseph Ward, indeed, has assured his intimate friends quite recently that ali his interests lie in the Dominion, and that he would be very reluctant to leave it for any lengthy period. It is understood he expressed himself to this effect when addressing the Liberal caucus held during the recent session of Parliament Mr- Massey, too. is known to be Very keen on going abroad fqr an indefinite time. But he has been bearing an enormous burden of responsibility during tho last three or four years, and though his health ha 3 stood the strain surprisingly well, the members of his family and his personal friends would be glad to see him occupying a less onerous position for * Whlle ' TEE ALTERNATIVES.

If neither Mr- Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward should care to go to London, Sit Francis Bell or Sir James Allen might be selected as the Dominion's representative. Both these gentlemen, though somewhat out'of touch with the progressive spirit of the day, have many qualifications for the position. Sir Thos. Mackenzie, whose name has been mentioned in connection with the appointment, is not regarded in the usually wellinformed circles as being in the running, and it is not unlikely that on the conclusion of his term of office as High Commissioner he will return to New Zealand with political ambitions, or, at any rate, with a readiness to accept a seat in Parliament, where the knowledge he has gathered in London during the last five or six years would bs of great value to the producing interests of the country. Mr. Myers, whose name also has been mentioned, would fill the position admirably in many respects, but at present his vocation seems rather to lie in giving skilled attention on the spot to the Do- ! minion's financial nad conunerei&l affairs. THE PARTIES. Just what Would happen to either of the old political parties if its present leader were withdrawn no one is prepared to say. Probably the emergency would produce the man, but so far no outstanding figure on either side has been discovered. It is common rumor that if the work of demobilisation and repatriation is sufficiently progressed by the end of next year Sir James Allen will not seek re-election. In any case, he would not be entirely acceptable to the members of his party who, while recognising Ids great war services, mistrust his powers of leadership. On the other side, Mr. W. D. S. Macdonald would bo easily the most popular selection with the rank and file of his party, and the most likely to obtain the co-operation of the sane section of Labor. But it is doubtf#if his appointment would meet with the cheerful acquiescence of all his Liberal colleagues in the National Cabinet