WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 259, 1 November 1928, Page 18

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE POLITICAL PARTIES.

PROFESSIONS OF CONFIDENCE.

DISPARAGENCY AS A WEAPON

(From Oar Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", Wednesday. The contending political parties have entered upon another week of the election campaign with reiterated assurances of the progress they are making in the constituencies. The Reformers claim to have a bigger majority in view than the one they had in the expiring Parliament; the Labour party is confident it will be the largest of the three parties in the new House, and the "Unionists" have no doubt of holding the balance of power after the polling. Lookers-on, who are watching the contest with no particular leaning towards any of the parties, however, give the Reformers a majority of only eight or ten European votes, compared with their majority of thirty-two in 1925. This probably is nearer the mark than the predictions of people actively engaged in the contest, and the Prime Minister and his colleagues well might be satisfied with such a substantial advantage with a majority of three Maori seats to fall back upon. The loss of more than one-half of its majority would do the Government no harm and probably would have a very wholesome effect upon its administration. Labour's Infatuations.

Labour, in the Wellington district at any rate, is securing better meetings than are either the Reformers or the "Unionists," and the "Evening Post," to its credit, is giving it a full share of publicity; but Mr. Holland, and most of his front-rankers, seem to be bent more upon disparaging their opponents than they are upon making their own case good. They are losing the votes of many disgruntled Reformers and leaderless Liberals by these tactics, and probably their stock is not so good as a month or two ago. The Prime Minister himself, by the way, has made a similar mistake in his own constituency, by holding Labour up to derision when a littJe dignified indifference would have served his purpose better. The unfortunate indisposition of Sir Joseph Ward, at a most unfortunate stage of the campaign, has handicapped the Liberals; but they still may exercise some real influence upon the final decision. The inevitable comments are being made upon the absence of Reform candidates in Westland and Hutt; but they do not reflect upon the sitting members. Sir Joseph Ward.

The Leader of the United party hopes to get away to the South Island this week, but his arrangements are not. yet finally completed. That he is taking a keen interest in the contest in all parts of the Dominion goes without saying. He expresses himself as much amused and not at all disturbed by the criticism that is being levelled against his loan proposal. The prediction of the Minister of Finance that the credit of the Dominion would disappear in a single night if seventy millions were borrowed appeals to him as a tit-bit. "What value have we received for the thirty millions the Minister has added to the public debt since the present Government took office," he asks. "No doubt the work of the Minister would disappear if the finances of the country were put on a sound basis. The muddlement, wastage, and extravagance of the present system would end; but the Dominion and its people would accept their disappearance without regret." If Sir Joseph manages to keep his Southern engagements he will impart renewed zest to the campaign.