THE NEW MINISTRY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10596, 30 March 1912, Page 5

THE NEW MINISTRY

INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS, MR WITTY DECLINES THE .... HONOUR, (By Telegraph—Press Associaition.) CHRISTOHUIROH, Last Night, Mr George Witty, M.P., who returned this morning from Wellington, was asked' by a reporter for his opinions regarding the new Ministry, but he declined to criticise Mr Mackenzie's selection. • Asked why he himself had been left out of the-Ministry, Ma- Witty-said: "I had an opportunity to join the Cabinet; but I declined.'? He was asked if ne would give his reasons for refusing ;office, hut he would not allow himself to bo drawn.

A LABOURITE'S VIEWS.

Mr G. R. Whiting, who was the Labour candidate for Cliristcliur.ih South in opposition to the Hon. 11. G. BU, made some interesting comments about* the new Cabiset. "For Labour," Mr Whiting said, "the new Cabinet is very little, if any, better thaw the old Cabinet. There may be j new Ministers like Messrs Lauren son : and Hanan with progressive id*, as, but on. the other hand we have a' Prime Minister who, I understand, i-»J a freetrader and freeholder. That is . riot at all satisfactory from our .standpoint. As one who has token a I Igreat interest in political questions I for many years, and as o'ie. desirous ' | of seeing the condition:-- improved for {the masses, I do not think that any] [Ministry will be saitinfa.Hu.-y in tie great brdy of the Avorkers olkr tha*i ' a Labour Ministry. . The fight of the I future, must be between Labour and antii-Labour." ] Mr Wining; said that r.(- did not think-that the Labour me nb'rs woi.Ul. suj y>vt a genera] no-confi i<>n : :e mo- ] ciou against the 'new Miimtrv, unless the defeat of the GoveYnme.it would result in a more progressiva 'iMdnistry t-ak-.ng charge. The new Ministry appeared to be a compromise between the freeholders and leaseholders. The last-mentioned could ex.peetb nothing from the Hon. T. Mackenzie, and the freeholders could not expect to realise their goal under a Ministry Avhieh had apparently compromised on the land question. His opinion was that' matters political avouM remain in a very unsatisfactory condition until"there Avas another apnea! to the country. That appeal, he believed, Avould have to be made in the near future.