POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 120, 6 February 1923, Page 6

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

GOVERNMENT MAJORITY OF THREE PREDICTED

THE LIBERAL-LABOUR CAUCUS

The causes of the Liberal-Labour Party was held yesterday afternoon, but the business was not completed. An adjournment was -made until today in order to enable tho Hon. A T. Ngata and Mr. George Forbes, who could not arrive in time for yesterday’s meeting, to attend. In the circumstances, no resolutions could be communicated to the Press for publication to-day. It is understood that Air. Wilford clui’iis as followers Alessrs.- -S. G. Smith (Taranaki), J. A. Hanan (Invercargill), and A. .1. Alurdoch (Marsden), who at times have been described as Independent Liberals. Last-moment political f.ossip before the session gives the Government an almost certain majority of three on a no-confidcncc motion. If Mr. Statham is made Speaker the regular Government menibors, numbering 38, will be confronted by only 41 members nominally belonging to the Opposition; and it seems to bo pretty generally anticipated that Alessrs. Isitt, AVitty, and Bel] will vote, not with the Opposition, but with the Government, which is therefore likely to curry tlie day by 41 votes tn 38. The belief that tin* Government is safe is not confined to optimistic members of the Reform Party, but is shared by members of hoth the Liberal and Labour Parties. “We might just as well take the division at once end go home,” was the expression used yesterday by a prominent Liberal member. Several Labour members have privately given their opinion that the Government is very unlikelv to be defeated.

Two members whose vote cannot be predicted with any confidence aro Messrs. Poland (Ohinemuri) and Atmore (Nelson). They are generally identified with the Opposition and expected to vote with it. Though the House will meet to-mor-row, the Addrsss-in-Rcplv debate may not be commenced until Monday evening. The first two days of the session will be occupied with preliminaries, and there will be no Friday sitting unless members show a special desire to have one. The mover of the Ad-dress-in-Reply will bo tho new member for AVairan, Air. AV. Girling, and the seconder Air. A. D. AlcLeod, AVairarapa.