STRANGE FACTS OF THE ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 49, 21 November 1928, Page 6

STRANGE FACTS OF THE ELECTIONS

HOW SOME PEOPLE VOTED—AND WHY Most people in Wellington—and in New Zealand for that matter—have had practically only one topic of conversation since the election of Wednesday last, and that engrossing topic has been “Politics,” writes P.U. People who hitherto (to all outside appearances at any rate) seemed to show no interest in political happenings arc at present asking all sorts of questions, for everyone is anxious to try and fathom the mystery of what is going to happen in Parliament, and which party or combination of parties is going to rule the country. “There should be plenty of money about at all. events,” I heard a straphanger remark to another in a crowded tramear yesterday. "We will soon have £70,000,000 floating into the country.” “This talk of £70,000,000 is all very well,” replied a business man. “But what I want to know is how is Sir Joseph Ward going to get the money without increasing the taxation. Heaven only knows we are being taxed quite enough as it is.” “Oh, he’ll do it all right,” ventured the other. “He’ll have to now lie’s been taken at his word.”

A general debate started as to whether Sir Joseph Ward was really in power or not. Some seemed certain that he was going to rule the country; others equally certain that he would not. The Reform Party had the majority, argued some, and Mr. Coates had something up his sleeve; he would play the trump card yet. And so the debate ebbed and flowed. Everyone .who was talking politics—and the whole tram was talking it —had a different view. One well-known business man was overheard to remark that “Sir Joseph Ward was far too ill to take office as Prime Minister.” Another man said he had been given private information to the effect that Mr. Forbes would be given that elevated position. Another traveller who had likewise received some private information volunteered the news “that Mr. Coates was chucking politics altogether for three years and going back on the land.” While lunching in :i cafe I overheard a prominent citizen saying that the policy of Sir Joseph Ward had been a most attractive one, and had caught the imagination of the people. It. had been just the same as asking a man would he vote to have his own salary increased. The electors had been fascinated by the talk of £70.000,000. It was like the story of “New Lamps for Old.” Since last Wednesday I have heard people say that they recorded their vote for the United Party candidate because lie represented something new and that the country would go on and on just the same no matter, who ran it. Also they wanted to give the candidate a vote so that he would not be left out in the cold. A resident of Miramar told me an extraordinary thing. “I wanted to see the United Party in power,” he said, “but as there was no United Party candidate standing for Wellington East I voted for the Labour nominee. I knew that if he got, a lot of the United Party supporters’ votes it would be one Reform man less Sir Joseph Ward would have to deal with in the House. It’s been a kind of two chances to one election, you see, with the odds against the Reform Party all the time. United Party supporters knew that if there, was no United Party candidate standing in their electorate the best thing would be to vote for Labour and so put Reform out. We did not for a moment think that Labour could rule.”

Such is the phychology of the elector.