The Advocate. [Established 1888.] [PUBLISHED DAILY.] OLDEST ESTABLISHED PAPER AND GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1912. POLITICAL.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXIII, Issue 302, 4 January 1912, Page 4

The Advocate. [Established 1888.] [PUBLISHED DAILY.] OLDEST ESTABLISHED PAPER AND GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1912. POLITICAL.

The political situation continues to attract much 'attention from the pens of journalistic writers. While Mr Miassey maintains, a. dignified attitude, the 'literary claqueurs of his party are losing no opportunity to emphasise the course Sir Joseph Ward in their opinion, should take. Day after day strongly-worded articles appear in ■condemnation of the Premier, and these attribute to Sir Joseph. Ward all kinds of malevolent motives in not at once handing over the Government- to M,r Mas'sey and his friends. ■ It is even suggested that the Governor should interpose, if necessary, andi turn the Government out! The Premier, however,' is not to be "drawn," and wi'll make an announcement as to t'ho course, intended ic be adopted w'hen all necessary information. is at his disposal. The position is a peculiar one, and precedents are scarce. It is clear that if the Government cannot maintain, it; existence, Mr Massey and his friends, if sent for by the Governor to form a. Ministry, will be in exactly a similar ease. We do not admit that the Government is in a hope'less position. That has yet to be proved. In th=. meantime, in desperation- at the pnospect that the Ministry may he able to hold office, some of the Opposition journals' are hinting that a coalition between the two par-tics I may be desirable—Mr Massey of course to he Premier, with Sir Joseph Ward retiring on tiho High Oommissionership! Mr Millar and Mr T Macl vcnzie are to be graciously permitted to hold office in the composite Cabinet. Such a proposal], if given effect, would amount to a base betrayal of the Liberali party, and is absolutely unthinkable. Far better, ii> deed, wotild.it be to give the Conservatives a brief term of office, when t'he re-action that would he certain to folOow would sweep every rtrace of Conservatism from the practical politics o? the Dominion, It is difficult to predict what the effect of an immediate appeal to the country would be. If such an appeal would give either

one,side or the otlior. a working majority, it would bo the best solution, or the difficulty. it is quite clear that a. number of the recently-elected members would! prefer not to face sucih an ordeal. In the three constituencies of Otaki, Grey Lynn, and Wellington East less than- a hundred votes would have returned Liberals instead of Conservatives. A Hitt-Ie swing of the pend'uhim backward in the three constituencies named would have made all the difference to the strength of parties. In other electorates a few hundred votes would have vastly altered the state of things, so it wili], be seen that the Government side would have something to gain by a fresh election. But if it should piove that- .Sir Joseph Ward has to admit defeat, it appears to us desirable tJliat Mr Massey and his partners should be given the opportunity t" form a Ministry, and we rfeel confklen', that after the public had l endured two or throe years of a 'Conservative regime, there need bo no fear of what the verdict would be. But any idea, of a coalition at the present time is not worth a moment's thought, and the country must await a pronouncement from Sir Joseph Ward.