The Hawera Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1928. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 November 1928, Page 4

The Hawera Times.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1928. THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Oelivurao every evening By S o'clock In tiawera ilanaif.. Narmanby. Okautava Eltham, Mangatoki. Kaponga. Alton ; "Turley ville Patea. Waverlev. Mo_oia. Whakamara. Ohangai, Meremera, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

Though the General Eldcftiomi its over it he public i« still very mutch am. 'the dark in regard l :to the form of government it is l to lvaive for t*li:o*• future. With, Reform returned rwith only 2(5 scots, the United Party with am equal number, aiwd Laiboarr w.i'tdr only six .seats fewer than either one of the other it.wo- parties, the situation iis full of possibilities. There are fifteen seats which may be influenced by the count of the absentee votes, and while these remain, in doubt there cam be no sound grounds for, recommend img the immediate l resignation off the Government, as has been advocated ini some quarters. There is no denying that in the! main the. verdict of the country has gone against Reform, and there is little hope off that •pamty being aide, itoi carry on, but at present Sir Joseph Ward is in mo better (position than Air Coates to forecast the result of event’s off the next few ■days. The leader off the Uniteds has expressed confidence in the final issue', but it has to be borne in' mind that the ■position is still in a. state off change. At least one Reform member, SiT John Luke, has changed his position from

nuininicr-uip to loader iin hits' own contest, though there are still too 1 many votes outstanding to warrant acclaiming him nisi the winner there. Thoro are two of the elected candidates 1 who describe themselves as Independent Reform, and ilt may 'be assumed that .their votes would .bo cast for the Government party on: a, division. On the other hand there are five other independents whose .present intention's 1 arc unknown, though it I was dombttl-ess of isomi c of these Sir Joseph Ward was thinking when he declared .that he knew he: could depend on) ttihci votes of some Of those already returned to Parliament unattached to •party. Unless either o,ne of the two leading patties secures at solid! ma jority of the fifteen scats- still in doubt, the possibility of another election being (held within a few months cannot be ignored. If neither Reform mor Uni tods cam whip up suflicienh support from the ■ranks of the independents to give a reasonably strong working majority in the House, the party which essays the task of governing with ui small majority ■will be at the mercy off the Labour Party. Labour probably would not be ■aiverse to throwing in its lot- with the Umteclisi in order .to. oust the Coates Government, but that doubtful advantage would, .soon become untenable for the Uniitods, who would find the Labour minority iin a' position to dictate the United policy. It is- to be hoped that, when the element of doubt is removed from the issue in regard to. those fifteen' constituencies, it will be found possible to Call the House together early and test the strength of the parties. It is anticipated that the result of the final ico,nnt will be known in Paten, and some other electorates by to-morrow and that there will bo no further room for doubt in; regard to the position in nmry of them after Monday.