THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. A POLITICAL CRISIS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10504, 16 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. A POLITICAL CRISIS.

That iv. crisis has been reached in the political history of New Zeaknd is obvious from the result of the ballot which was taken on Thursday last. The party which has arrogated to itself the title of "Libaral," and which has kept itself in power by enacting legrsJiatio of a. votecatching character, and' by the lavish expenditure of public moneys, has been handsomely defeated. Unhappily, however, the party of reform, whose strenuous efforts' to unseat the Continuous Ministry hiave proved successf-ul, lias hardly a sufficient following in the Bouse to enable it to carry on. the nlliairs of the country. The probabilities are that the Prime Minister, who is clearly in a "nobbling" one or two of the Lab-. call Parliament together at an oary date, and then to tender his resign - tion. Etch should he succeed i i "nobbling" one or two f the Labour membWs, he -could not carry <> i the affairs of the country far any

lengtn of time. Indfceu, his greatest trouble woui-i he in satisfactorily filling the in hi* Ministry. Iu view of the jSact that Mr Massey has a distinct party majodty in the Hlouse, the constitutional course wlouid be to :affo,rd ham an opportunity of forming a Cabinet. If Mr Massey were well-advised, he would accept the responsibility, if only to seize t!he rein© of office and tempoi'arily rob the Ward Administration of the conlEroli of tihe great departments' of State. He hlas ample ma(terid f<rom which to form a strong and vigorous Oahinet. If a Cabinet were formed., and a progressive policy outiiuied, Mr Massey would go to the count: y in a mxicli stronger position th&n. if he were to content himself with the -leadership of tlie Opposition. A defeat on a no-confi-dence motion, with; the parties so j evenly divided, would' Have no material effect upon the constituencies. -The successes which have been achieved by the Reform Party during the 'last few weeks. .'ihould stimulate ih& leader s> to organisation for another conflict, \yhdch' is bound to come in tihe course of a few,month®. Sir Joseph Ward has been, given notice to quit. He has already shown a disposition to treat' that notice wftth something (tike contempt. If (hie should persist in retaining office against the will of the people, he will not only ibe pursuing am xmoomsbitutionaiL course, but one vrfhich will jeopardise Hus position when he makes the inevitab'le appeal to the country. The only statesmanlike course open to ham at the present juncture is to resign. If he ftiifo to do that, the responsibility for consequences will rest with himself. The Reform Party has ia right, by reason of its- lumbers, to demand the rein*; of office :<nd tfo 'be entrusted with, the task of forming a Cabinet.