THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 29, 1909. AN INTERESTING SITUATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9677, 29 December 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 29, 1909. AN INTERESTING SITUATION.

In the course of the debate in Parliament as to the £4OO grant for a Financial Adviser in London to the Government, Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, declared that his party had the country behind them. We cannot quite agree as to the accuracy of the statement, and we are inclined to think that Mr Massey mistakes a growing spirit of impatience on the part of the- people in regard to the present administration for increasing sympathy- with the leaders of the Opposition party. No doubt, as one party weakens, the opposing party, as a general rule, strengthens itself, and it, is unquestionable that the Government party under the guidance of Sir Joseph Ward is becoming weaker, numerically at any rate, Certain'y, Sir i Joseph Ward had a most difficult, and strenuous task to perform in keeping the party together when he became Premier, and he has, probably, succeeded as well, if not better, than anyone who might hav l succeeded the late Mr Seddon would have done, but the old order changeth, giving place to the new. It is beyond question that the Government party contains a good many members that are "played out," and herein lies one of the greatest difficulties that the Premier has to face. ******

When Sir Joseph Ward was Actingj Premier, and on more than one occasion, we heard a great deal as to I his capacity for handling the business of Parliament. He'was, we were told, essentially a business man who would brook no delay; he was forcible, his methods were businesslike, tactful, cleverness itself, and by his very brilliancy he tairly swept the ground from beneath his opponents' feet. Sir Joseph Ward was Acting-Premier then— hj« is Premier now,, and that fact makes

a)l the difference. Sir Joapeh Ward has> in a large measure, Mr Seddon's party, but he has not got Mr Seddo-i's ways, nor, If we judge correctly, does he desire to have them, hence the party machinery is not working smoothly. On the 3rd inar. the Premier was virtually defeated. Such a thing could not have happened to Mr Seddon, nor would it happen to any premier who had his party under proper control. One cannot help asking, therefore, will the Premier . ever have his party under such con- | trol as ss necessary for a political leader who desires to see his policy J and administration carried out? We do not think so utdess there is a very considerable alteration in the personnel of the Government party. The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, mor the leopard his spots, and Sir Joseph Ward cannot make progressive, politicians of men who have I'Been their beat days of usefulness. i * » * * * The "old Liberal party" is nearirig the end of its days, and in the possibility of making a new Liberal party the Premier is confronted wltn a problem as great as any that any previous Premier has grappled with. We believe that the Leader of the Opposition is now rapidly approaching the greatest opportunity of his political career, but that opportunity is coming about not through the present strength of his own party, or through a recognition of the value of many of the principles for which the Leader of the Opposition ha? battled so determinedly, but bv reason of the internal weakness and discord that exists in the ranks of the Government party. The present political situation is certainly one th'i is full of interest, and the discus ion that has taken place on the Estimates is plainly indicative of thj fact.