ORGANISING THE OPPOSITION

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12968, 22 November 1907, Page 4

ORGANISING THE OPPOSITION

THE FEELING IN THE COUNTRY. >ROSPECTO FOR NEXT ELECTION. (nrweiAL ro "rmntM.") '.':' WELLINGTON, Noretr_ber 21. ri Mr R. R. Martin, organising s«cre« « ;tary of tie New SSoalaUd Polit-Cftl Re- _ form League, has srrived in Welling. ' ton from an organising tour throughout ■ ; 'ihe Dominion, and was initerviewed by a representative of "The Press." On . being asked to express his opinion aa j to tho cause of th© small numb*, of .Opposition members returned at the * jast general eleofcion, Mr Martin stated I that as it had been necessary for him $**o visit several of the electorates in ' both islands, h© had excellent opportunities of ascertaining the -views of his party suppo/tere. The feelinfe waa pretty general, he said, that sympathy for the late Premier in referente© to tbe voucher question, tihe wholesale promisee of p._blio money, and the very exceptional organising ability of Mr Seddon, who had managed to reconcile certain opposing interests and secure support from them all, were the principal factors in the Government securing so many seats. As to the coalition question' ho said: —-I met people who were of opinion that the moderate men on tho Government (Side and the Oppositionists must eventually jorn forces', so aa to dheck the ultra-socialistic party, whioh appears to havo inspired much of the legislation of the present session, and which will probably make a strong effort to strengthen itself at tho __axt i election, whilst others were very strongly opposed to coalition on the ground that the supporters of th© Opposition polioy aro numerically very much stronger than the general public realise. I consider there is a good deal to bo 6aid in favotiT of this view, as the number of votes which w&b required to giv© th© Opposition'an actual majority at the last general • election was far loss than many imagine. The aggregate numlber of votes recorded to each party was as f0110w5:—206,886 for Government candidates, and 157,193 for Oppositionists _ so that had tho latter party been, represented in Parliament m proportion to their voting strength, Mr Massey would nave had thirty-one supporters under his leadership, and Sir Joseph Ward fortythree, exclusive of Maori members." In regard to tho prospects for next election, Mr Martin said it was far too early yet to attempt to pick- the Card, but h© had not the slightest hesitation in predicting; the gain of a number of seate to the Opposition. "The result of th© two by-election- m tho North Island," ho said, "has been most encouraging to our In tho Manmkau ©.©atio-i last December Mr Lam practically doubled th© majority by Mr Kirkbnde at the general election, tho acjtaal majority being 1248, as again-* 646 the jh-©----vious year, whilst in Taranaiki Mr Okey who was defeated a*'the general election by 219 vot«, waa xetuwied last May with a majority of 3&4, and this in an electorate that the Government looked troon a* one of their strongest seats." j "Then you consider tihe Oiiposation party is gaining strength P" "Yes, certainly. I found out the Dominion sm intcius© Teoling of admiration for the splendid ftgh* Mr Massey and hia guppo_t««"B in Parliament had put op ever smoe the, Land Bill was introduced by.the Mm- i istcr for Laaids las* sessaoo. ,1 atoo found a disposition, partioulsrly amongst th© -arming qommnmity,todp thoir utmost to strertgth*-- tha Qpptai-, tion, and in several instances of men , who hadfpreriously given their support, to Governmerab candidstw." i