REFORM'S MAJORITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 163, 10 July 1914, Page 4

REFORM'S MAJORITY.

In view of thp reduced majority which is enmnuwHled hy the Rfform Government in 1»14 compared with tho follow- j ing secured by Mr. Maesry as Loader of the Opposition in the TOPmoraiWc noconfidviKT vertp against the Mackenzie AU'tninifttratiom in .Inly. 1912. it is interesting t.> analyse the respwtivp | votr« oil -the two offasinnt.. When Air. Maesey eai-rifd his ao-pOTifldenw a.mendmont tho votes recorded totalled 70. of which number 41 were rnst for the amendment and 33 ajrainst it. witli one pair, the Covernment on that, occasion dive being- defeated 'by eight votes. The menvbew then unaccounted for on the division list were the Hon. R. MoKenzie. the Hon. Mr. Xgata, and Mr. Herries. *Mt. McKenzio, wlio at an rarlier test of the partirs during the same fittirrg had voted aga-inet the (j<rrprnnifnt, refrained from voting a.t all on t'.ie 00-iron'fidenop division, while Mr. was on flip high seas returning from England and Ngaia al*ent on uHKP'.'vt -private bosinwe. Sinre then the epat has been lost Co the Liberal party, l>u; against that is the fact that the. Opposition, in IDI2, had the mc. of Mr. 'Lang'.- vote on the division list. I'umpflring this nnal-j-wi* with ilie v..iinj; on Sγ •kifte-r/li AYardV no-contid^iiif aiiK'TidrapTit uffaim-t the- Ma<=spy Atimintf '.ration, we lin.l that the pi-fisen: Oppoei tion. tho-.igli we.iken-ed by the loiw of ; lip EjTlliOllC vote, a poli.i front nf lit! MiPinber.- ■ a gain of two votes r,n the Iflli div Hon. wl'iln the Reform vote Ims rpcedfd from 42 to -11. As i< iinitter of far; tlu- claim i>f the [itvpe-lil (Jnvriiimem thai they lia«l a «l*.ir majnrily nf or nitif- in the Unnw IiMK iiivt-r really Ijcm ju»; iti<'d. us Mr R. M-Kpiixif has iii'vei- -'.m- lii.- fii^; .! |iar:\ .t-.-m-. vvlnii- the H»n. Mr. Miliar. wliii >-\m lii* In! "itii the i»j>|ii'i«itii>n in ■]~■ |1* 1 hhc. ha- a , -., MiH-i- ilr.ll lilllr voted aj-aii.-- i :u' Uovi rnuir-ni win-n prei-1 pit a: «li.il mii'it .v i/rnied |>.irt\ <livUii..ti~. V« uln-ady in miixifd. Mr N'tfftM - .- v.iTi. ».i- aiM-n: in .Inly. I!>I2. a- v.a- Mr. 11--ri,.-'. :!ir mily v..-,» nu ill: , ; nr-i.-ii'i mi ii--i'iiiii;i I fur J'eing Mr. I!. M.K.Tr/'.i''-. iii t', • prr-"ent ncfai-ion rhe f-.v.i v<. irne-irmwo.l fur "n thr liri .IT-γ- Air. Millirs an.l Mr. Cla-rkV. I: nar i-Npl.iined l.y ::w «iovnrnmen' VVhip at'er ihv div Won ;'na'.. ihT'Hisr'u *ohip rn'i-iindrrnand'inpr. Mr. CUtU an I Mr. fin!! had both Wn paired ivith Mr. who i« a».iy ill. -Mr. MrCoroV*. it- labour tnf-mber. «':V' > tuc«eede4 tnc Ut« -Mi. Lduxenesn Lot |

Lyttßltnn. h-ae already mad? no fcv.re.t. of his political hostility to the Masscy Atl'minii-'tratiiin. 'l*n cumin;?, therefore. t.ha-t. Mr. Clark iwtimwß in ad'hwenee to the present Government, anil, taking this reasonable a?-suinp-tion th-.i t. Mr. Millar :s opposed to it. we. arrive :>t the oondusion thai tht> a *u.'iual majority of the frovernment at the prrpeni. time ■:.< a kiro working one ol' live in a full H-niiso—a margin, the narros-ntvt; of which better ar.preci.ii.>.l by (Jovenimient Whifw than by the liiiilicwnTinjj pu-Wie, o-peciaMy when i; is remembered that this majority inehiJvt; no fewer than four members who at t!ip last olpctinns were returned as supporters of Sir Joseph Ward, who led the way into the ayes lobby on Wednesday nifrut.