The Press Monday, December 11, 1922. The Political Situation.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17634, 11 December 1922, Page 6

The Press Monday, December 11, 1922. The Political Situation.

In a day or two the result of the election will be definitely known, and we may expect to have some indication by the Prime Minister of the course he intends to take. If the number of members who are willing to vote against the Government on a no-con-fidence motion moved by the Leader of the Liberal Party are a majority of the House, Mr Massey may think it desirable that the House should aesemble at an early date. But it is very doubtful whether either of the Opposition leaders can get a hostile majority to follow him. Mr Isitt will vote for Mr Massey, and the .Auckland "Herald" points out that Mr Bell, the new member for Bay of Islands, is in the same position. Other members, like Messrs Witty and Statham, have declared that they will not support any Government dependent upon the Reds for its majority. Indeed, it seems to be quite certain that Mr Massey cannot be defeated in the Houee. But he cannot usefully carry on the government of the country without an effective, which need not be a large, majority, and it may seem to him to be desirable that the country should be asked to give a clearer (verdict. "What that verdict would be we have no doubt whatever; the Government would obtain a substantial majority, for it would have the support, of thousands of voters who. voted for Liberal candidates in the mistaken belief that there was "a great liberal revival;" and who now see that all that their votes can do, if cast against the Government, is to strengthen tho position of the Reds. Reform has no anxiety as to the result of another contest, and the Labour Party will probably regard the result of Thursday's polling as very encouraging indeed. "Whether the thick-and-thin Wilfordifces \*ill care to undergo another campaign is another question. "We should say that a second election will have no charms for them at all.