THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2295, 9 January 1909, Page 3

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

THE NEW MINISTERS.

MR. JOHN DUTHIEiS OPINIONS

Mr. John Duthie, of Wellington,, an ox-member of Parliament, is at present on a visit to Gisborne, and yesterday very courteously granted tlie request of a “Times” reporter to express his opiuion upon the change in the personnel of the Ward Administration and the balance of power in the newly elected Parliament. “In looking .down the list of tlie portfolios allotted to'the new Ministers,” said Mr. Duthie, “I think Sir Joseph Ward has made as -judicious a selection as was open to him, but I am also of the opinion that Parliament should not, and will not, agree to the increase in tho number of Ministers. Certainly two of the new Ministers join tho Cabinet without extra pay, but that is only -tho thin end of the. wedgo. Then again tlie increase in the number of Ministers gives the Government undue power, for with ten members of the Cabinet, the Speaker. Chairman of Committees, and two Whips, any Administration must command great influence over Parliament. While I congratulate Sir Joseph Ward on liis select ion, I can see difficulties before him in reconciling tho various members of bis' Ministry to each other’s views. The Hon. George Fowlds is a convinced disciple of Henry George. Mr Hogg has ever been a strenuous advocate of tho leasehold, and though Mr. T. Mackenzie is not yet Minister for Lands, he is a declared supporter of the freehold, and has, perhaps, made a more care if ll study of tho land question and its relativo economics than any other member of the House. Out of such a medley of political opinions it will be interesting to see what the future will bring forth, and how a land policy, suitable for the needs of the country, will be evolved.”

MINISTERS’ POLITICAL OPINIONS.

“The Prime Minister, with a candour that would have done credit to the Kaiser,” continued Mr. Duthie, “proceeds to make a personal criticism of bis colleagues, and' describes Mr. Millar and Mr. R. McKenzie and Mr. T. Mackenzie as ‘strong men,’ which fact., by reason of comparison, signifies that the other members of the Cabinet are proportionately weak. To one who lias heard Mr. T. Mackenzie in his denunciations of tin? views held by bis colleagues, Messrs Hogg and Fowlds, it will bein to resting to see what will transpire when questions of col icy arise, and if these members of the Cabinet are sincere in tlie political opinions they have advocated. Tho weakest link in the new Cabinet chain is the -appointment of Mr. H-ogj?-as Minister for Labor, for it is unfair to saddle a new Minister with the responsibility of dealing with the present trouble that lias arisen among tlie miners through tho lax legislation in the Workers’ Compensation Act. The trouble promises to be very serious, the end is not yet in sight, and a heavy responsibility has been placed upon the new Minister for Labor to deal satisfactorily with the position. There is no gainsaying the fact that Mr. Hogg is weak on labor questions. In the past he has approached labor problems solely in a spirit of kindness of heart, and without any consideration of the effects of labor legislation upon industry. So far tlie duties allotted to Mr. T. Mackenzie are merely nominal, but one can only suppose that he has been included in the Cabinet with the idea that in due time he will be allotted the portfolio of Minister for Lands, with tlie general acceptance by the Government of liis views.” THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

“In looking at the perssonnel of tho. new Parliament.” said Mr. Duthie. “I think the House as elected last November is stronger than either of the previous two Parliaments. The Opposition party is much stronger, and there are indications that wo shall sec a slackening of that assured support that was extended to Mr. Seddon and became the prerogative of Sir Joseph Ward when ho first took tlie reins of Government. This will be an advantage, because in the new Parliament, with a stronger Opposition party, sncli important measures •as the Workers’ Compensation Act will not be allowed to slip through in tlie last hours of the session, for I hope that the Opposition will he strong enough to stop the Ministers holding buck the filial reading of the Bills until when tho Legislative Council, which should be the revising Chamber, lias no time to give them full consideration. Now that the Opposition Party is stronger and the House is more evenly balanced, I hope that the system established under Air. Seddon will not be allowed to continue.” EXCESSIVE TAXATION.

“There is a point in flic financial position of the country that I think the people should more thoroughly understand,” said the speaker,, continuing, “and that is the enormous amount of money that is going oiit of the Dominion every year to pay interest on tho public debt. The amount paid by the people in interest is usually set down as the amount cliargable to the Consolidoted Fund, but that is not the true amount, for the annual charge upon tlie people for interest and sinking fund totals £3,200,000, which covers the amount paid on loans to local bodies, hut excludes the amount borrowed by local bodies from the Government. Still from time to time the electors are having ridiculous tables, showing the great re-, duction on items of taxation, placed' before them. Yet year by year the amount of taxation on tlie people as a whole and per head is steadily increasing. The amount now raised by taxation and rates per ytear, per head of. population, is £6 ss, or £25 for a family of four, which works out at a weekly taxation of close on 10s. This taxation, I fear, will never be reduced,, but as the years run on this burden will press more heavily upon the people. Tlie present revenue of the Government is more than ample, ’’ explained Mr. Duthie, “but the taxation on tlie people is too high. . Too much money is frittered away , in ornamental Departments such as the Tourist Department, and then there has been a great waste of money in the expenditure of over half a million of money on the. Arthur’s Pass tunnel—a fvork that will never pay—the subsidy of £7OOO for the Tahiti mail service,i and of £IO,OOO for the Vancouver. cargo service are striking examples of waste.”COMMERCIAL FINANCE. Asked if the financial stringency

was still being folt, that trade received a slight cnec. ihroueli the tension on the monej market in October last, hut the business done in Wellington during the month of December was well , tip t° the average. “The commercial outlook is getting brighter, said M . Duthie iu conclusion. ‘ and tlie piosnects for the present year are very promising. There are indications ot an increase in the volume of exports of wool, mutton, and butter, and u have no reason to anticipate any increased financial stringency.