MEETING OF THE REFORM PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 9, 11 January 1923, Page 8

MEETING OF THE REFORM PARTY

UNIQUE POLITICAL SITUATION

THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.

An important meeting of the Reform Party is being held in Wellington this afternoon to consider the position arising out of the General Election. The issue to be discussed is one of unusual difficulty, and although it seems certain that Mr. Massey will have a majority on a no-confidence motion, it will remain for the Prime Minister to decide, as the result of the crucial division which must be taken soon after the meeting of the House next month, whether he has what he considers a working majority. ■ The present political situation is unique in New Zealand in one respect, and, that is that for the first time in this..country there are three parties, each commanding a considerable following in the House, but not one of the three is agreeable to.make'an alliance with either of the other two. Reform remains the majority -party compared with the other two,' with 38 votes in a House of 80 members. .. ... A CONSTITUTIONAL POINT. The point has been raised that in retaining office and carrying on the Government of -the country Mr. Massey is doing so against the expressed will of the people and the letter of the constitution, the contention being that the proper course for him. to have taken would have been to tender his resignation; to permit of Mr. Wilford being sent for to form a new Ministry. It is obvious, ho\vever, that Mr. Wilford is not in a-position to form an Administration without the support of one or other of the remaining parties. . It must be borne in mind that Labour has dfi- ■ finitely refused to ally itself with Mr. Wilford, although there has been some suggestion that a temporary arrangement might be made under which the Labourites would support Mr. Wilford, provided he agreed to pass a Proportional Representation Act and appeal to the -country immediately thereafter. : LABOUR'S POSITION. Here it may be mentioned that Mr. Holland has stated the position to bo that; Mr. Massey has 38 supporters in the House, Labour 17, Liberal 16, with 8 or 9 Independents. " Anything may happen when Parliament meets," he said; ." one or two things will happen. One or two of the Liberals will go over to Mr. Massey, or perhaps the lot of them; there is no. demarcation in their policies, but there is a wide one between Labour and Liberals. If the Liberals do not go over, it means another election, but that would be no good unless proportional representation is in force." He also stated that "ho anticipated that Mr. Isitt and- other Liberals would give the Reform. Party sufficient support to enable them to retain office." LIBERAL-LABOUR PARTY. Mr. Wilford's position appears to be this: there are twenty-four Liberals, Independent Liberals, and Independents over whom it is claimed that he has control- or- partial control. Only eighteen of these members have announced themselves as straight-out candidates -in the Liberal-Labour Party interests; four others being elected as Independent.. Liberals, while the fifth is definitely pledged not to support Mr. Wilford on a no-confidence motion unless he has a clear majority over all other parties in the House. The remaining two were announced as Independents. Until the; r.tiitjde of these two members is determined by vote in the House it cannot be "claimed that Mr. Maisey is actually in a minority. It is considered almost certain that several others will vote for Mr.' Massey on any crucial division. BRITISH PRECEDENTS. Referring to the constitutional point referred to above, it is held, that Mr. Massey is strictly within his rights in maintaining his position as head of the Government ■until Parliament assembles, and it is possible to take a vote of the members—that he is justified in maintaining that position in view of the declaration of several of the independents that they will vote with him on a no-con-fidence ' motion. The British procedure has been icfered to as establishing an analogy between .the present political situation in New Zealand and that in which several Home Administrations found themselves, following General Election extending as far back as 1868. In eacli of the English cases the defeated Governments resigned immediately the results were made known, but the analogy attempted to be established faila, it is contended, for the simple reason that on each occasion when a British Ministry was defeated, the majority against -it, was of a very substantial character "and no other party was likely to challenge those who came into power. In the present caee in New Zealand the results ;are; indecisive, and can only be determined at the meeting of Parliament early next month. Mr. Massey has held the office of Prime Minister for many years, and he has -been- accustomed to conducting the business of the House with a largo majority. It now remains to be seen whether he will find siich a majority, but-it is abundantly clear that if he ie unable to command a working majority neither Mr. Wilford nor Mr. • Holland will, be in a position to do so. The situation, therefore, appears to resolve itself into this : It will be for Mr. Masfiey to determine when the House meets, whether the majority obtained is sufficient to enable him to efficiently carry oil the business of the country.