POLITICAL POINTS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14223, 11 December 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL POINTS.

"Whatever happens now, says f 'Civis" in tho "Otago Daily Times," tbo inana of the Government is shattered. Secondballoting everywhere will bo influenced by that fact— there 'will be a tendency to go with tho running tide. The country, then, may lift up its head. Redemption draweth nigh. If Labour rotes with. the Reform Party, says tho ''Wairarapa Daily Times," tho return of the latter's candidates'is, of course, assured —and .we are inclined to believe that Labour does not cherish, sufficient love for the Ward Party to com© to its rescue just now. The Prime Minister had no difficulty in avoiding a second ballot, but it would be futile to contend that he achieved a signal triumph. On the contrary, it must be admitted quit© candidly that tho remarkable number of J votca cast for Mr Hamilton—rremark- . able,- that is, having regard -to past i Awarua records—is a phenomenon which (taken together with some other i indications in the country) cannot fail to cause soarchinga of heart.—Dunedin "Star." Members had been told, said Mr P. M.B. Fisher, on Friday, that if they did not vote as the Government wished no money would bo spent in their districts, and that they would be thrown on tho scrap heap. A Voice: A talc. . Mr Fisher said it -was a true talo. (Loud applause.) Speaking at Motueka five days ago the Hon. R. McKenzio had told his hearers that the Government were building a railway in their district and that if tho Opposition got into power the railway would be stopped.: ■ . The Opposition will return to Parliament greatly strengthened in numbers, says a North Island contemporary, and, even if it does not take its place on the Ministerial benches, ,it will be so strong as to make- life almost unbearable for a Government that has had things all its own way for so many years that it seems to imagine that it is entitled to despotic power by divine right. ! Tho rejection of Mr Isitt for Christchurch North seems fortunately to be a foregone conclusion, remarks the "Otago Daily Times," since every vote that was recorded in favour of the candidate who retires from tho contest was , emphatically an anli-Isitt vote. J Tho "Ofcago Daily Times" points out that "If the electors believe it to be for tho good of tho country that there should bo a change of Administration thoy must not, now that they havo got ' tho Ministerialists 'on tho run, , as Mr I Winston-Churchill would put it, bo deferred from giving them the final push that is all that is necessary to expel tho Government from tho Treasury benches." , ; Whatever may happen, asserts the "Wairarapa Age," it is certain that the Ward Administration has no longer tho country at it c back. The fight is not, as some would have us boliovo, betwoen Capital and Labour. It is a fight for reform in tho administrative methods of tho Government. In tho first addross of his second ballot campaign on Friday, Mr H. D. Bedford (Dunedin West) said there was a spirit of hopefulness throughout tho Dominion —a spirit of hopefulness that the so-called continuous Ministry could bo shifted. One of the things he had to face in the campaign was tho constant belief of men that whilst they, disliked tho Government it could not be shifted. It had boen-in power co long .and had run for go many years they had come to regard it. as a permanent institution, and nothing could shift the continuous Ministry. He was glad to say that that feeling of hopelessness with respect to the possibility of shifting tho Ministry had passed away entirely, and to-day, all over the Dominion, there was a spirit of expectancy that there had not boen for years and years past-r-a spirit of expectancy that at last this Ministry was tottering, and that at last the Ministry ■ was shaking to its very foundations. It was known really that the Government was virtually-defeated at the present time. - The "Dominion," commenting on the result of tho Premier's campaigning on . behalf of Government supporters, ! jflJfa.ts; i out that Sir Joseph' Ward visited Pufib- : kohe, and increased Mr Massey's majority; he descended, on Parnell, and I now his late colleague is practically as- ; sured of defeat; he talked at Danne- ! virko, and the Waipawa seat has been ' lost to him; he talked in Taumarunui, and Mr Jennings has been beaten j ho talked in Palmerston, and Mr.Buick has won; he took a turn in. Ashburton, and Mr Nosworthy headed the poll by. a big margin; ho talked'in Timam, and Mr Craigie- has now to face a second ballot; ho talked in Gore, and J Mr Anderson's majority has increased; • ho talked in Invercargill, and Mr 1 Hanan is not only forced into a second '. ballot, but threatened also with defeat; finally, he talked and talked and talked , at Winton, and reduced his own majority of 2183 over Iris nearest opponent j to 518. Tho more tho people know of him, it "is plain, tho less* they like him. "Mr Massey has for years conducted a hard and strenuous fight, and I doubt whether the people of New Zealand j realise his sterling worth," said jwt ' Herdman in a recent speech. "Tho people to-day," ho added, "recognise more than they did some time ago that I he is a man who could hold the highest position in the land —that of Prime Minister; that thero is a growing feeling throughout the whole of tho colony , that woro that responsibility entrusted ,, to him ho would fulfil the duties with great ability and distinction—more so than the present occupant of that position." Speaking on Saturday, Mr C. H. Ensor, Independent candidate for Riocarton, told a story illustrative of tho financial methods of the Ward Administration. "A man went to his banker to borrow money. 'How much do you want?' asked tho banker. 'How much have you got? , asked tho man. 'I'll take tho lot!'" "That," said Mr Ensor, "is Sir Joseph's attitude to tho people." Thus the "Dominion":—To-day the Ward Administration stands condemned j in the eyes of the people. The public, disgusted with tho practices and methods of Ministers; sick to death of their shifty ways; their , selfishness; their lack of principle; their flagrant and open political dishonesty, have shown that they can , unmake, as well as make, Governments. Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues, vrho have

ridden rough-shod over the people, whe have acted as though they possessed despotic' powers, aro to-day confronted with the bitter truth that the people are tho masters, not the servants, oi the Incentive.