The Hawera Star. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1925. ELECTION IMPRESSIONS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 November 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1925. ELECTION IMPRESSIONS.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamsra, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser . Road, and Ararata.

In writing during the past, six weeks in. comment on the political situation in New Zealand, The Star lias insisted upon the vital need for majority rule if the country ia to be properly equipped to face, the future. And because the only party that could 1 possibly hope for a majority was the Government, we consistently advocated narrowing the issue down to a contest between two parties, of whom the Opposition should be Labour. Yesterday the people of the Dominion looked at the position in exactly that light and v.oted accordingly. Yet there were surprises. We expected disaster for the so-called National Party, we did not expect it for Labour; nor were we prepared for such a swing-over to the Government. One of the two outstanding featuresi of the election is undoubtedly the, set-back which Labour has received, not so much in the number of seatsI—for 1 —for it held some very insecurely—nor perhaps in the aggregate vote —for the party had more candidates than ever before —but in the vote of individual Labour candidates in their strongholds. For instance, the prophets- picked 1 Sir John Luke to go down. Yet he improved his vote in Wellington North by 560 on last election, while* the strong Labour candidate dropped nearly 700 votes. Mr Fraser’s total for Wellington-'Cen-tral was reduced by nearly 400 votes, and Mr Wright, in Wellington Sub- ( urbs, gained 1000- votes on his Labour opponent. - In Auckland, West the Government nominee gained almost 700 on Mr Savage, and Miss Melville, gallant little campaigner as she proved herself,, halved Mr Bartram’s majority. Then in Dunedin Mr Munro, the sole Labour representative south of Christchurch, lost 170 votes and his seat. It was generally expected that Labour would strengthen its position in the cities, yet it has lost a place in, Wellington, and another in Dunedin, and may have to surrender one of the Christchurch suburban seats. A variety of factors has doubtless operated to bring about this result, but- probably it is just another evidence of the good 1 sense of the people in realising that two parties are all the country has room for. Many Liberals who, last election, either did not vote, or voted Labour because they considered they must oppose the Government, must now have come to see that Labour’si ideals are not their ideals, whereas Reform’s are.. And these have acted accordingly—those who did not- vote three years ago coming out uoav on the side of the Government candidate where there was no National candidate, and some who voted Labour, having had their eyes opened to the company Labour keeps, changing their allegiance in consequence. The general position revealed by the voting merits closer consideration, but we shall defer .further comment until the figures are more- complete.