LABOUR LEADER.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20413, 7 December 1931, Page 7

LABOUR LEADER.

MR HOLLAND RETURNS TO WESTPORT. (ritxti issocimo■ nrninJ WESTPORT, December 5. Mr H. E. Holland, Leader of Opposition, returned to Westport yesterday. He was met several mile* mtt by a large crowd, by whom ha wa» escorted into town. At night lie attended the Buller Labour victory bail, at which there was a very large attendance. On his entry he was greeted wit* cheers and- the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." "Speaking in response to the welcoming speech of the president of the Labour Bepresentatlon Committee, Mr Holland reviewed the tion as the election had left it. He said that the anticipated repercussion of the British election had not eventuated. The Labour Party had gained some seats, and the Coalition and Independents had gone to the couatry with sixty members and had come l»aek with fifty-six. The Labour Party had gone out with twenty and had cosne back with twenty-four. There had been no substantial change, but Labour alone had improved its position. Seats won from the United Party by Reform, and vice versa, involved no fundamental principle —the changes were purely personal. New Zealand now had a. Government with two heads and no policy. The Coalition had asked for -and received a blank cheque, and it was. now a question of how the blank would be filled in. The position was so utterly desperate in relation to unemployment and its companion problems that Parliament Should be called together at the earliest possible moment, and the Government should be required, without delay, to -formulate the policy it had promised from the hustings. Labour had no cause to be dismayed with the election result. Notwithstanding the combination made for its defeat, it had won additional seats, sod had missed others by significantly narrow majorities, while its aggregate vote had been substantially increased, and its position as the only possible alternative Government was permanently established. THE NELSON SEAT. % irSBSS ASSOCIATION TKtS'iS»» .i NELSON. December 3. The counting of 132 fHWlal wtes to* increased Mr H. Atmore's lead over Mr H Everett (Coalition Beform) t<* There are still 403 absentee and seamen's votes to be equated.