STATE OF PARTIES

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 146, 18 December 1919, Page 6

STATE OF PARTIES

SOME UNCERTAIN SEATS

Taking the candidates ' as they presented themselves to the electors the state of parties may be given thus :—• REFORM (48). Allen, Sir J.. Anderson • Bitchener Bollard Burnett Campell . Coates Dickson, J. M. Dickson, J. S. Field, W. H. Glenn Guthrie Hamilton, A. Hamilton, J. R. - ■ ■■ ■ ■ Harris Hawken Henare Herries Hockly Hudson Hunter i, Jones ' Lang, Sir F. W. Lee '■ Luke Lysnar Malcolm Mander Massey M'Nicol M'Leod Nash Newman, Dr. A. K. Newman, E. • Nosworthy Parr Pom are hotter Powdrell Reed Rhodes, R. H. Rhodes,'T. W. Statham Stewart Sykes tiru f ' • Wright . Young : LIBERAL (19). -, Atmore 1 Brown Forbes . ' Hanan ■'- Horn . isitt , : . ," Jennings . M'Callum ■ MaeDonalt ""..:".:.:*.' . Masters s • ; Myers Ngata ..- • - Poland Seddon* Sidey Smith, R--W. -• ■ - /; - -.' ■ Thacker Wilford Witty. : '■ '■ .■■:'.■ " :

OFFICAL LABOUR (8). ..V Bartrara Fraser ' Holland Howard M.'Combs Parry Savage Sullivan. INDEPENDENT LABOUR (3). Smith, S.G-. Kellet .Veitoh. INDEPENDENT (2). Craigie Mitchell. In this table Befonn members who have claimed independence in the event of the necessity arising for a coalition ire included in the party total, as their cotes may certainly be relied upon on a no-confidence motion. This would ba the case for example with Messrs; Statbam, Stewart, and others. Mr. Craigie stood as a Liberal, but he has claimed his independence under circumstances', similar to those affecting the votes of Reform members; and last session he asserted this independence. For practical purposes he is a Liberal. The Reform total is given as '48,' but ifc is probable that when the House meets, if not before, it will be found that Colonel Mitchell is disposed ■to give a general support to Mr. Massey,' and that Mr. EeHefct, classified as Independent Labonr, will also be sympathetic. The Government may then claim a. strength of 50 against 30, divided amongst its opponents. This calculation refers to the results as they are at present known. Two seats may bo said to be doubtful. The Hon. J. B. Hine is 70 votes behind Mr. Masters (Liberal-Labour), but there are 162 absent votes to bo considered, and the soldier-Minister has yet a chance of success. Mr. Sidey (Liberal) leads Mr: Paul (Labour) by 10 votes. The absentee votes in Dnnedin South are 280, of which Mr. Sidey will probably get the great majority, and there are 21 sea. men's votes, most of which are expected to go to Mr. Paul. CABINET RECONSTRUCTION. If the Hon. J. B. Hine is defeated there will be two Cabinet vacancies—his and that created by the retirement of Sir William Fraser. In addition it will be remembered that it was proposed to appoint a fourth Minister last session, but Mr. Lee declined' the post. Reconstruction, however, need not stop at the appointment of three Ministers; out it is too early yet to suggest how far it will go. Even the Prime Minister himself could probably not say this at present, for he has had other things to consider in the past three months. In the meantime, Sir William Fraser will continue a member of the Government, ac he can do, even if he is not called to the Legislative Council, as he almost certainly will be. The. defeat of Mr. Scott (Wakatipu) removes one Ministerial possibility which was strongly hinted at during the campaign.

BETIBED OR DEFEATED. There will be 24 new members in the next Parliament. The old members who will be absent (unless the returns are altered on the recount) are as follow : Defeated: Sir Joseph Ward, Sir .Tames Carroll, Hon. G. W. Eussell, Hon. D. Buddo, Hon. J. B. Hine, Messrs. Semple,. Glover, Hornsby, Pearce (who withdrew his candidature after nominations closed), T. A.- H. Field, Ell, Dickie, . Talbot, Walker,. Scott, Anstey, and Thompson. Did not seek re-election :• Sir William Fraser, Sir. John Findlay, Messrs. Poole, Payne, G. H. Smith, and Wilkinson. Died, and vacancy not previonsly filled : Mr. J. Colvin.