PRESS OPINIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1307, 9 December 1911, Page 6

PRESS OPINIONS.

THE AGONY OF THE SECOND BALLOT WTO FACES IT NOW? (By Toletrraph.—Special CorrcsDondonU Dunedin, December 8. Tho "Otago Daily Times," in the course of a leading article .this morning, says: "Tho general election will be decided on tho second ballots, of which as ninny as thirty havo to bo held next week. .So far as tho polling yesterday determined tho composition of the llouso it lias loft tho Government without any, advantage. Indeed, tho Opposition is, at the present time, enabled to claim a majority of live, but it is not merely iu tho fact that tho Government is actually in a minority—as the result of tho pollings which yesterday proved decisive—but tho loss of tho hold which it has had for many years in tho country is demonstrated.

"The- experience which Ministers themselves encountered in their personal contests provided the most significant indications of tho waning of their influence in tho country. Throo Ministers have to submit to the ordeal of the second ballot system which the Government imposed on the country in 1908, and Mr. Fowlds, who was a member of tho Cabinet when tho electoral law was amended in this way on a foreign model, has also to undergo a second contest, in order to secure, if possible, his re-election. ■

"A just retribution has fallen npon the Government which forded thi9 system on an unwilling country, and the measure of retribution will bo greater if, as seems quite probable, the result of the second ballot should be unfavourable to somo of these gentlemen.

"Of the thirty districts in which the electors are to be required to declare their preference next Thursday, thirteen, we think, may bo confidently expected to return Opposition candidates; and the party has a very reasonable prospect of capturing four or five of the other seats, in which case it will have an absolute majority in the new House. The attainment of that consummation, may, however, bo prevented, if electors, who are desirous of seeing the Opposition placed in power, weakly decide, for personal considerations, to give their votes to Ministerial candidates.

"A great responsibility rests, therefore, upon these electors. If they are loyal to their party, they cannot record their votes in snch a -tray as may enable the Government to cling-with the slenderest of majorities in office."

THE DYING TSARDOM. AN OPINION FROM AUCKLAND. Auckland, December 8. The "Herald" this morning says: "Taking into consideration the possibilities of the second ballots, it is quite possible that the Government may lose altogether, and,-in any case, the arbitrary'and dictatorial methods which it had habitually pursued during its time of irresistible strength will be no longer possible. "Mr. Fowlds and his friends have not succeeded in establishing themselves as the 'new party* upon the.ruins of the Opposition. Their hopes were rudely disturbed yesterday. Mr. Fowlds and Sir John Findlay go to the second ballots. Mr. M'Nab and Mr. Speight are not among the chosen.

"So much depends upon the second ballot that both parties will doubtless concentrate their strength immediately upon the debateablo electorates. It is fortunate that the extraordinary Bill which would have made it a crime for citizens to exercise the right of free speech during the time betweon first and second ballots did not become law."