WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1921, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

CROWN AND CONSTITUTION. MR. MASSEY’S VIEW. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 21. The Prime Minister was not particularly happy in the House on Wednesday night in his further allusion to the King’s place in the Constitution. In the course of the speech he made when laying the report of the Imperial Conference on the table, he had stated that King George reded as well as reigned, and that the Empire was all the better for his active participation in politics. Mr. Malcolm, the member for Clutha, took oueeption to this view, protesting that the hard won liberties of thfe people would, be imperilled if the Sovereign were allowed to interfere in any way with the prerogatives of Parliament. Replying at the conclusion of the debate, "Mr. Massey insisted upon bis point with emphasis. "The King discusses every detail of a proposal, he said, describing His Majesty’s methods. “I have been there and I know. Sometimes when he takes a different view from members, he is able to induce even the Cabinet to change its view to some extent. Let us make no mistake about it. The King takes a very active part in the Government of the Empire. Returning to the subject at a * stage in his speech, he declared the King had tremendous power. INFLUENCE, NOT POWER.

Had. this declaration been made earlier in the debate, doubtless a number of members would have had something to say on the very important constitutional problem involved. As it was it formed the subject of animated discussions in the lobbies, where the general opinion appeared to be that Mr. Massey had returned from the Imperial Conference just a little dazzled by the personal charm and social service of the King. Even the "Dominion” thinks him guilty of having presented a somewhat distorted picture of His Majesty.. When Mr. Massey remarked,” it says, tnjrc the King has great power, what he obviously meant was influence, and it is unfortunate that at the moment he did not see fit to accept the correction which was at once supplied.” It was Mr. Malcolm, by the way, that offered the correction. But the Minister spurned the friendly service, and so impels the Dominion to remind him that tne King acts only with “the advice and consent of his Ministers,” and to pay him the poor compliment of being sure he did nbt mean what he said.

MARKETING DOMINION’S PRO DUCTS.

The introduction of an Imprest Supply Bill yesterday gave members of the House an opportunity to talk at large on any and every subject under the sun, and Mr. T. M. Witford, the Leader ol the Liberal Opposition, turned it to account by declaring, in effect, that the present financial difficulties of the Dominion were largely due to the inefficient and careless manner in which its products were marketed at Home. The producers, he insisted, were not getting fair treatment. The Hon. W. Nosworthy assumed that Mr. Witford was referring only to the operations of the war period, and contended that what was done during the commandeer was the affair of the Imperial Government alone. But the Prime Minister with refreshing candour, admitted that all was not well with the Dominion’s system of marketing even to-day. Without being in any way disloyal to tne Dominion’s representative in London, he suggested it would be a very good thing if the staff of the High Commissioners Office were recruited from New Zealand and kept in much closer touch with what was going on here. This is the view that has been expressed again and again without, it seems, producing any results. TOTALIZATOR PERMITS. The introduction in the House yesterday of the Gaming Amendment Bnl, which is to clear the way for Parliament to deal with the Racing Commission’s report, produced a preliminary skirmish between Mr. Massey and some of the prominent opponents of the totalisator. The Prime Minister, though obviously approving of the Uommnsion’s report, is placed in a difficult position by the dissent of some of his colleagues—probably the Minister of Internal Affairs himself among them—and the outcome may be a very confused division of parties when the final decision is reached. The main bone oi contention is the retention of uhe permits the commission has recommenaea for withdrawal, and on this question so good a sportsman as Sir George Hunter may be found voting with the malcontents. Altogether a very unseemly scramble is threatened, a the moment it looks as if the Minister would require al) his tact and driving force to reach a satisfactory conclusion.