THE HOPELESS POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14222, 9 December 1911, Page 8

THE HOPELESS POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

A closer examination of the results of tho first ballot confirms the opinion we expressed yesterday that tho defeat of the Ward Government is inevitable. Tho possibility that on Thursday next a sufficient number of pledged Government supporters will emerge successfully from the second ballot in thirty constituencies to givo Sir Joseph Ward a majority, is so remote that it cannot bo seriously entertained. Twenty Government supporters only wero able to secure election on Thursday, and at least twenty-two moro aro necessary to provide tho Government with a working majority. Sir Joseph has little or nothing to hope from any Labour successes, and tho possibility of him being ablo to "corral" tho Independents is equally unpromising. Ho must therefore look to the second ballotsjri thirty seats to yield him more supporters than the first ballots yielded in seventy-six seats. Ono has only to examine the voting for tho various candidates in the indecisive contests to come to the conclusion that tho Government's position is hopeless, and we havo no doubt that the Prime Minister has already mado that discovery for himself. The whole position, therefore, is ono upon which tho country can congratulate itself. Many reasons will, of course, bo forthcoming in explanation of tho disaster that has overtaken the Liberals. Wo venture to suggest that ono of the more obvious is the revulsion of feeling against the Ward policy of bribing tho people with their own money. The disclosures during tho latter part of tho campaign of tho large sums of publio money scattered around Southland, particularly in Awarua, must have been very damaging, and the uneasiness it caused tho Prime Minister was proved by his apologetic attitude towards his critics. He even wont so far as to promiso a commission of < enquiry into this expenditure, adding that 'f it should be found that tho money had boon misapplied refunds would be made. Coming fiom the arch-spender himself, a statement of this naturo was exceedingly significant, but unfortunately for him repentance came too late. Not only in Southland were hundreds of Government votes turned over, but in other parts of the country thero was an astonishing change of feeling. We have no doubt that ".the

same influence contributed to Mr Witty's set-back . Like many another roads-and-bridgos member, ho has been successful in getting small grants for ali-iindai&f purposes*. But'tho more thinking portion of tho electors aro beginning to realise tho insult implied in these petty bribes. It now remains for the Reform Party to throw themselves heart and soul into the campaign of the next few days. Ministerialists are bound to bo disheartened and deflated by the turn of events; and although some of them will struggle hard to save their seats, everything is in favour of their opponents. Nothing succeeds like success in politics, and the Reform Party havo it in their power not only to place a good win to their credit, but to achieve a signal

victory.