THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1919, Page 5

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

TEMPORARY ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIOS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The temporary allocation of fortfolios following the resignation of the Liberal Ministers is now complete. Sir Dillon Bell will take Public Health in the meantime. The reason that Sir James Allen is only taking minor portfolios is that Defence, including the administration of Samoa, is sufficient to keep him very busy. The Hon. G. W. Rusaell to-day tendered his resignation as a member of the National Government. PROBABLE COURSE FORECASTED. (By Wire.—Special to Dally News.) Wellington, Last Night. The next move in the political situation will be meetings of the parties in Wellington to-morrow. It may be anticipated with some confidence that both caucuses will endorse the action* of their leaders, since to do otherwise would be to open the flank to the political enemy, but the Reform caucus may take some handling unless Mr. Massey is in a position to say that he hag arranged for an extensive reconstruction of his Ministry,

The Liberal caucus may reach some decision regarding the work of the session. It will not be surprising If Sir Joseph Ward takes an early opportunity of announcing that he will give reasonable assistance to the Government during the session in the despatch of necessary business. He would be placing himself, as well as Mr. Massey, in an embarrassing position if he became involved in party fighting to the extent of threatening the stability of the Government, since the Liberals could not hold office except by favor of the .Labor men in the present House. The Labor men, as a matter of fact, aro not likely to assist Sir Joseph Ward to depose Mr. Massey, even if tlu> local leader proposed such a course, since it will suit Labor better at the elections to have Mr. Massey in office. There is a substantial ground for believing that at least two of the members counted in the Liberal group would refuse to .vote with the party on a want of confidence motion if the result was going to be the placing in office of a Libera! Ministry, dependent for its existence on Labor support, as they consider that would be an intolerable position.