THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8225, 31 August 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1906.

It is certainly very early in the day to form any definite opinion of Sir Joseph Ward's ability and taot generally for the position of Premier of this country. It is true that he has occupied the position of ActingPremier for one session, but that is a very different matter to being in himself the first Gahinet Minister. It is, also, true that in the session xeferred to business was put through most expeditiously, and that it was one of the dreariest sessions on record—quite as dull and dreary as the Address-in-Reply faroe. Out though it Is soon, indeed, to venture to make any observation as to whether Sir Joseph Ward will be a successful statesman, it may be said that the opinion is pretty generally held that there is trouble ahead, and several of the incidents that occurred during tne last week of the present session seem to indicate that "there's bound to be a row," and that before very long. The late Mr Seddon had great ability as a debater, and espeoially in the art of "genertlling" an election, and by these qualities it must be admitted that he largely

kept his party together. When Mr Kirkbride, ou behalf or Mr P. M. £. Fisher, asked certain questions in the House, last week, the Premier appealed to Mr Maasej to oppose the motion on the ground that it would bo discourteous to the Governor to agree to it. Mr Massey was unable to support the.Premier because, as he pointed out, every member had a right to know every item of public expenditure. The incident, of course, is only a very small affair, but Mr Massey certainly scored. The Premier has, a!so, made a mistake, it seems to us, in leaving Mr Massey off the Pubiio Accounts Committee. We believe that during the whole time that Mr Seddon was Premier, the Leader of the Opposition was a member of the PubJio -Accounts Committee, and he certainly should be. The Premier, in answering Mr Massey's comments, seemed to suggest that as Mr Massey was merely the Leader of a very small party it was immaterial whether or not he was on the Public Anoants Committee; but though Mr Massey is the leader of a small party that party represents a large number of votes, as the voting at last general election proved, and those who voted for Mr Massey on that occasion really look upon him as their leader, incidents, such as we have referred to, do not suggest that the Premier is a Heaven• born leader.