THE PREMIER REVIEWS THE SITUATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 125, 25 November 1908, Page 3

THE PREMIER REVIEWS THE SITUATION.

LIBERAL PARTY'S POSITION. "A VICTORY WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF." The Premier, who was accompanied by Lady Ward and the Hons. W. HallJones, Dr. Findlay, and R. M'Nab, addressed the crowd from the New Zealand Times balcony when the final re- . suits were made public last night. He was greeted with mingled cheers and groans, and cries of "Second ballot!" "The victory of the Liberal party throughout the Dominion — (uproar) — we have a right to bo proud of," he said, in opening, and the applause and uproar that marked the conclusion of his first sentence showed that the crowd was not entirely sympathetic. The Government would, he added, have a majority of at least 24, and he wanted to call their attention to the fact that it was not so long ago since the Liberal party entered upon its work with a majority of eight, and carried out its policy successfully against the Opposition of that clay. EXTRAORDINARY DIFFICULTIES." They had gone through ihe present election under very extraordinary difficulties (Uproar.) Their opponents had done their best; they had had many advantages on their side — (applause) — and in the end they were in a minority, as they were in the last Parliament. (Cheers, groans, and uproar.) There were fluctuations in political opinion in all countries, and New Zealand was no exception. Friends, and opponents of the Government must recognise that they had gone through the election under circumstances which made victory very significant. The public had only to remember the fact that their opponents had tried to create the impression that the country was in a precarious position ; they had only to realise that in the price of some of our staple products there had been a very heavy drop, particularly wool and flax, apart altogether from the fact that the financial institutions had been "pulling in" during the last four or five months. The Opposition did not fail to make the most of those facts. They must also remember that the opponents of the Government had appealed to the voters to give added strength to the Opposition, on the score — (A voice : "Quite right") — that it was desirable that the Opposition should be rendered numerically stronger. (Applause.) That had ben played for all it was worth in every electorate. As the outcome of the elections the Government had come back and would have a majority of 24. THE GOVERNMENT'S MAJORITY. It would takt, a 6 ood deal, to shake them in their position ODprbar.) Ho wanted to call attentilon to the fact that outside of one party in th« history of public life in this> country, the Government's majority was as great as that of any previous party, and_ on that occasion, at the last general eleiction, they had a powerful man at thb head of the Administration, and the country was in a most prosperous condition. There were also circumstances connected -with that election which created a sentiment which he was sure would never occur again. Under all the circumstances the majority of the Governine.it was ono of tho best they had had. They must, he repated, remember that the Government appealed to the country at a time when the financial institutions were making the worst of things, which the Opposition used to the detriment of the Government and its followeis. (Uproar.) They must also remember that in the different electorates their opponents had made every possible effort to malign the Government and mako the dairy iaimer.s believe that the Government was inimical to them. In Wellington ( they had imported material assistance for their opponents — (A voice : "That's right,'' and uproar J — all the money and all the things they could use — (renewed uproar) — and yet throughout the Dominion the people as a whole had stood by the Government. (ApI plause.) The people had stood by the j men who had supported them, arid had given an unanswerable reply to those who had worked in the way he had indicated. (Applause.) • ' THE JUDGMENT OF THE PEOPLE. In a battle such as they had gone j through it was not to be expected that j they would not lose some of their men, and for that he was exceedingly sorry. They had fought a good fight , 'some of them had been in Parliament for a, number of years, arid done goud work for the people, and for that work they were entitled to recognition. He was broadminded enough to realise that in political battles they must accept the judgment of the people, and accept it with the utmost goodwill, which he did. (Cheers.) He realised that there hail been good men returned in different poitions of the Dominion — (a voice : "Tommy Taylor" and applause) — some of whom had not been in Parliament before, and some who had had previous experience. They would find that the Government would display those fair characteristics to its supporters and opponents as it had always done. (Applause and a voice, "They'll shake you up.") Throughout the election, in any part of the Dominion, no one could say that any member of the Government had attempted to do anything unfair — (cheers) — or had said a single word 'of a personal nature concerning any of then* opponents. In that respect they had no regrets, and he said it with a full recognition of what had boen done so far as his Government was concerned. He also wanted to say that he welcomed to the ranks of Parliament the representative of Wellington East, Mr. M'Larea. (Applause.) He recognised, as all must recognise, what a combination of the Liberal anu Labour parties had done in bringing about that victory, by standing shoulder to shoulder in the fight for t'eform. UNFAIR METHODS. He also wanted to say that in different electorates there had been most unfair methods employed — (uproar) — against supporters of the Government — (renewed uproar) — and he could without any difficulty prove the words he was giving utterance Lo, when he said there had been a campaign of calumny. Considering what had been done, he rpgarded the victory of the Government as one of the finest returns that had ever been made. (Uproar.) He thanked all those who assisted in returning Government supporters, and expressed his sympathy for those who had not been successful —men who had done then 1 duty to .their constituencies, but had not been returned owing to a change of feeling having taken place. (Uproar.) "The battle had been fought and won. Victory is on our side," declared the Premier, "and in that hour of victory we can, I hope, display those high characteristics which havo done so much lo make our nation great and recognised outside its borders. We can be generous to those who have not succeeded. As lai 1 as we are concerned the elections nave been fought fairly and .honest! v from end to end of New Zealand."