NO CHANGE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 53, 26 November 1928, Page 13

NO CHANGE

THE POLITICAL SITUATION END OF OFFICIAL COUNT TO-DAY NO APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE BY GOVERNMENT The political situation remained unchanged over the week-end. The Government’s course of action having been disclosed, the next development of moment will be the assembly of Parliament to-morrow week. The official counts of the votes polled at the general election have been practically completed. The two returns outstanding—Westland and Northern Maori—will reach Wellington to-day. The final figures for the Bay of Plenty contest were received on Saturday. They were as under: BAY OF PLENTY. Hon. K. S. Williams (R.) .... 4463 A. F. Moncur (L.) Informal Majority for Williams .... 1867 Supplementing on Saturday the statement he issued on Friday night, the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) said that, in accordance with his duty, he had discussed the situation with the Governor-General, who was pleased to accept the advice he had taken the responsibility of tendering to His Excellency. “I may also state,” Mr. Coates added, “that in the interval until Parliament assembles it is the intention of the Government to refrain from making appointments beyond such as are essential for the proper discharge of the public business. A REPORT DENIED MR. W. H. FIELD’S POSITION With respect to the report published in a Christchurch paper that Mr. W. H. Field intended to join Sir Joseph Ward’s party, Mr. Field states that during the whole of his campaign he had expressed the view that the natural division of the people of this country was a clear-cut one between the moderates on the one side and the extremists on the other, and that it was a great pity that the two moderate parties were not amalgamated and fighting in one camp. He said that there had been no essential difference between the respective politics of these parties for years past. At his final meeting in Otaki he had been asked the question whether he could under any circumstances support Sir Joseph Ward, and had replied that in the very unlikely event of the Reform Party being knocked right out he would support the United Party as against Labour. After the election Mr. Field further expressed the view that it would be in the interests of the country, and, he thought, the wish of the country, that the occasion should be seized for a coalition between the Reform and United parties. He had said that if that were brought about, and Sir Joseph Ward became Prime Minister, he (Mr. Field) would have no difficulty in following him. In the event of there being no coalition, and Sir Joseph Ward forming a Ministry from his party. Mr. Field had said he believed that the Reform Party would gladly assist him and his -Government in passing sound measures for the benefit of the country. Sir Joseph Ward had now declared against coalition, and there was therefore an end to that way out of the difficulty. With respect to the suggestion that Mr. Field was likely to join the United Party, he said that he had been elected as a Reform member, and that if he had any thought of leaving the party, which he certainly had not, his first duty would be to consult his constituents. ' MEETING OF PARLIAMENT REFERENCE BY MINISTER The political situation in the Dominion at present and the calling together of Parliament for December 4 so as to decide who is to take possession of the Treasury benches of New Zealand, was the subject of passing reference by the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, at the opening of the Northland Horticultural Society’s flower show on Saturday afternoon. “It has been said,” stated Mr. Wright, “that the Government should resign at once. Personally, I am opposed to that, and apparently the Prime Minister is too, for Parliament is to meet on December 4. If Sir Joseph Ward had been returned with a complete majority it would have been the Government’s duty to resign at once. But the position is that no other party has a complete majority. I have no doubt as to the result when Parliament does meet—the Government will be defeated. Sir Joseph Ward will then probably be given a day or so to form a Cabinet. He will then meet the House and ask for an adjournment to formulate his policy. That, to my mind, is a reasonable request. He will, in my opinion, then carry on till next June. What will happen then Ido not know.” RICCARTON SEAT LODGING OF PETITION , UNLIKELY. Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, November 24. It is not likely that anything further will be heard in regard to the suggested lodging of a petition against the election of Mr. H. S. S. Kyle for Riccarton. “I am quite happy to wait until the next election.” said Mr. A. McLachlan, the defeated United Party candidate this morning. “There will not be anything further regarding the petition, as far as I am concerned. Ido not. and have not, entertained it and cannot for the life of me see how anybody else is going to do it. I have not entertained it from the start.”

LABOUR’S ATTITUDE. By Telegraph —Press Association. Taumarunui, November 24. In an Interview regarding the attitude the Labour Party will adopt in supporting the United Party, Mr. F. Langstone, M.P., stated that the Labour Party supported measures, not parties, and should the incoming Government be willing to establish a State bans with the sole right of note issue, reduce the rates of interest, institute a vigorous land settlement, and deal wltl. the unemployment problem, they might be assured of Labour's support to enact and admi»‘ster these measures.