The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1911. The Great Defeat.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1671, 15 December 1911, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1911. The Great Defeat.

The Government is defeated! That was tho verdict of the second ballot last night. In last Tuesday's fcixAii we published an editorial forecastlist of tho second ballot results, and wo concluded that article aa follows: From this list, plus the results of last Thursday's elections, it would seem as if the Ward Government must cross the floor and dwell for a while in tho shades of Opposition— an experience that will be quite new to nearly every member of that party. The state of parties, according to our latest forecast, will be as follows as the result of next Thursday's contests: — Opp's'n. Govt. First Ballot ... 25 21 Second Ballot ... 19 11 Maori Votes ... — 4 Total ... 44 36 How near wo came to tho actual results is shown by tho list which we publish in- another column. Taking tho pledges of so-called Independents to voto for or against tho Government when tho No-confidence motion is before tho new House, we classify the parties as follows: — For tho Opposition 43 For the Government 34 Then there are three Maori members to be elected next week, and as the Maori generally votes for the winning side, those throe- seats may just as easily go to Mr luassey as to Sir Joseph Ward. There are a few seats still in the balanco that may go othorwise than announced to-day when the absent votes arrive or a recount is made. But allowing for all these contingencies, tho Ward Government is out, and Mr Massey will be called upon sooner or later to form a Cabinot of licformers. When that will bo depends upon Sir Joseph Ward, who may follow the example of Sir Harry Atkinsontwenty years ago, when JNew Zealand's last political debacle <tok place and call an immediate session ot Parliament. At this session Mr Massey would niovo his waifi-of-con-iideiico motion, and on being beaten Sir Joseph would send in his resignation, advising the Governor to send i'or Mr Massey to tako up the reigns of government. Then Premier Massey may be up against «ne Australian oxperieiice of carrying on business with a small majority. In our editorial article yesterday we referred to this aspect of the political question, saying: -"It would be a strange thing if the Labourites and (Socialists who are in to-day's ballots should turn out to be the ' pudding ' in tho see-saw of parties in the new House." This undesirable condition has come near to being imposed, for there is now a Labour-Socialist Party in the House, comprising Messrs Veitch, Payne, Hindmarsh, and Kobertsoja;; .and though three of !+.hoso arc pledged to vote against fend one (Mr jEindmarsh) for tho Government on a no-confidence mo*"»on, they are sure to form a coiniiation of Independents after Mr Massey takes office, and—if thore'is atiycnintt in that strange pledge of Mr Coates, that he will, failing the 'opportunity to serve Premier Ward' for twelve months, becomes an absolute Independent—will be strengtli.onpet by the tfew member for Kaipara.

4- remarkable feature of the elections just concluded is the defeat of a group of men who have served in the Liberal Ministry: Six- John Fincllay, A. W. Hogg, G. Fowlds, and T. Y. Duncan. Never has New Zealand known such a slaughter of the •aspcrlonced. Space forbids a detailed reference to-day to the men who have como in and the men who have scone out, but a glance at all the details given elsewhere in this issue will show our readers what a great change has been wrought in tho political history of Now Zealand by yesterday's second ballot. "Wo offer our congratulations to Mr Massey, who put up a great fight for his party and for tho reform movement; and wo believe that ho will make an honest and sincero effort to carry out much-needed reforms.