THE ELECTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16737, 18 December 1914, Page 8

THE ELECTIONS.

THE POLITICAL POSITION. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S STATEMENT. GOVERNMENT IN ACTUAL MINORITY. [Pur Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 17. Interviewed this morning on the political situation, Sir Josepii Ward re- i marked: —“It has developed in an unexpected way since yesterday. The j parties are now oven.” | “This,” added the leader of tlio Opposition, “ makes the course which tho Government should take quito clear. I ■ take it that the constitutional position j must bo followed. The Government are : now in an actual minority in tho House, as they must necessarily appoint the Speaker. There is therefore i ono of two courses that must be adopted by the Government —either they j must resign or they must call Parlia- j mont together without any unnecessary delay, as at present it is quite clear ; that tho Governor is without constitu- ; ■ tional advisors who have the confidence i of the country and the House. _ That is . a position that cannot be maintained ; or trifled with. Apart from this,' there ; is considerable doubt ns to the position : . of the Northern Maori member, who is 1 < at present included ns a Government i , supporter in the counting of party • votes.” ' MR MASSEY’S REPLY. _ 1 “WILL PLAY THE GAME.” 1 [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 17. , In reply to the statement made. by ] the leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister, in an interview with a ] “Post” reporter, said: —“I cannot i forget tho action or rather the inaction of Sir J. G. Ward and his party after < last election, when tho country had « definitely declared against them. Parliament was not convened until—l 1 speak from memory—about the third y week of February. I do not propose to follow any such example. There ' may be other changes yet, but you can take it from me that the Government will play the game, and do the right , thing under tho circumstances. Cabinet will meet at the earliest oppor- \ tmiity to consider the new position that j has arisen. If wo cannot carry on, ( there is certainly no other party in i New Zealand at tho present moment 1 that can do so. 'Hie Reform Party i is a united party. The Opposition i consists of two sections, which have practically nothing in common, except 1 perhaps the desire to punish the Gov- 1 ernment for doing its duty last session, ' and as a consequence to occupy the Treasury benches. I do not consider i the position fully decided yet, and there may be changes where there are ! recounts. As for tho Northern Maori member, I can only say that I know j Mr Tau. Henare well, and .there is no better typo of Maori member in Par- - liament to-day. I have no doubt as , to his attitude.” ‘ i CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. ’ WHAT THE LEADER MUST DO. j A Christchurch member of Parliament, j speaking of tho political position , yesterday, said that according to < the Constitutional law, it.was necessary f for members of the House of Repre- ] sentatives to be called together bef ire , any action was taken by the leader of j either party. It was for the Governor— ] practically for Mr Massey—to say when ? the members should assemble. A mo- .j tion of no-confidence would bo moved j by Sir Joseph Ward. If it was carried i j the Governor would send for Sir ( Joseph. He would form a Ministry. , The members would present themselves J , to the Governor to bo sworn in. The i Governor, probably, would require the < new Ministry to go back to the House, , in order to see if it had the confidenco of a. majority. If it also was , defeated Sir Joseph would be entitled ] to ask for a dissolution and an appeal j to the country. , The Governor might not want a dissolution, but might ask Sir Joseph to stand aside and let Mr Massey take tho Treasury benches again and iry to carry oh the business. The idea was to exhaust tho House until every attempt to form a stable Government had failed. Then a dissolution might be granted. Years ago, the member added, there were no fewer than four 'ji.uiges of Ministries in one session Three Ministries wero turned out of office beforo . tho formation of a Ministry that was able to retain its hold of the Treasury 1 Benches. ‘ 1 i VIEWS OF AN AUTHORITY. ! W r HAT SIR MAURICE O’RORKE | THINKS. [From Our Correspondent.] AUCKLAND. December 17. The opinion of Sir Maurice O’Rorke, for twenty years the Speaker of the 1 House of Representatives, and one of 1 tlie best known authorities on constitutional law, is ail interesting one. In conversation this morning Sir Maurice observed that the political situation j ■ was a unique one, and personally lie ’ was of opinion that it was a glorious opportunity for the gentlemen who had no scruples in changing sides. Such a thing had occurred before, and might easily happen again, although he did not think it would be any of the leading men. That was the only hope of the Government. Sir Maurice pointed out that there had been previous occasions on which tho Government of the country had been carried on by a very slender majority. For instance, tho first year lie entered Parliament Mr Fox’s party, to which he belonged, had a majority of one, and turned out a Government which had been in office for fivo years. It carried oil for twelve months, but when an experimental session was tried in Wellington it was’ defeated. | In the event of there being no turn- , coats at the present juncture to enable I the Government to resume office with a majority, continued Sir Maurice, the only course open would l>o for Mr Massey' to resume office and to elect, liis Speaker. This would leave him in a minority of one, and upon a no-con-fidence vote being carried in the Houso tho Government would have to resign, aud Sir Joseph Ward assumo office. Presumably ho would follow precedent and would not elect a now Speaker, and by that means the Liberal party would have a majority of one, tho Speaker being deprived of a vote except in the event of a tie. “ If the Government is anxious to ascertain its fate,” said Sir Maurice, “it might call the session much earlier, hut 1 think it will be content to hold the reins until Parliament meets.” j Asked whether ho thought there' should be some compromise in the event of a tie before the election of the Speaker Sir Maurice said ho did not think tho idea was practicable. Personally he would rather see a Government endeavour to struggle on with a majority of ono in preference to a formal session to pass some revision of tlio electoral law, followed by resignation. This would bo better than forcing another election upon the country. I I f POSITION OF PARTIES. j RECOUNTING THE VOTES. I [From Opr Special Correspondent.] i WELLINGTON. December 17. Mr Massey's assertion that ho had a. majority as tho result of tho recent election', and therefore did not intend to call Parliament together before the I

usual timo, seems to have been a little unfortunate as well as distinctly premature. It has brought him no luck, and at the moment it looks quito likely that his reason for not calling Parliament together will disappear. To-day he is content to assure the reporters who are sitting on his doorstep that he will do tho right thing when the right time arrives.

That ■ there is a very significant change in tho position may bo judged from tho very marked chan go in the tone of the local Reform newspapers. The “ Dominion,” as already telegraphed, now declares that a coalition is the only way out of the difficulty, while the “Post,” which suggested yesterday that a bribo in the shape of a portfolio should be offered to Mr Arthur Myers to induce him to come over to the Reformers, this evening gives up all hope of such a comfortable arrangement. “ Yesterday,” the junior Reform organ says, “ the position was bad enough, but would at least have enabled the Government to carry on till the ordinary meeting of Parliament in June. The country would have been grateful for a six months’ respite, and before the timo was up passions would have had time to cool, and some working arrangement might have been devised. Now, however, tho position must be faced at oneo with the possibility of another general election early in the New Year. Let us hope that the universal regret, not to say resentment an'd dismay, which such a prospect must excite will have a sobering effect upon tho politicians. This surely is certain where so much else is obscure, that if the country has to face another general election in February or March, the party which tho electors adjudge to be chiefly responsible for tho nuisance will have cause to rue the result.” This argument, of course, is perfectly sound, but the “Post” is scarcely so logical when it urges that Sir Joseph Ward must not press any advantage he may have gained at an election forced upon the’ country against his judgment. “ Sir Joseph Ward’s strenuous objection to holding tho general election at the usual timo7’ _ it says, “ should induce him to strain every nerve against precipitating anothor within two or three months afterwards. On tho other hand the Government s refusal to accept Sir Joseph Ward's view three months ago should predis-l pose it to be generous to the Opposition when the terms of a working! agreement are under discussion.” Surely if the Opposition finds itself in-a majority when the recounting is finished, which very easily may be the case, it will not be for the Government to exercise generosity. Something of this sort seems to have dawned upon the “ Post,” as in concluding its article it ends: “Why should not Sir Joseph Ward as well as Mr Massey represent us at the Imperial Conference?” Why not, indeed, if Sir Joseph happens to be Prime Minister at the timeP In tlio meantime the streets are alive with rumours Everyone lias heard that Mr Tau Henare, the elected member for the Northern Maori district, has pledged his troth afresh to either the Government or the Opposition, and the leaders on both sides profess to be perfectly easy about his vote. That they are not so confident as they profess to bo there are a dozen signs to show, and possibly the truth of the matter is Mr Henare himself has not yot made up his mind on the matter. The fact that he did not keep his appointment in Auckland nitli the two Ministers who went there yesterday to j instruct him upon the sanctity of pledges is causing the Reformers a good deal of uneasiness and there is a story abroad to the effect that the Indies who selected the member for nomination were promised ho would follow in the footsteps of Dr Rangiliiroa. In tho meantime Mr Henare maintains his position as the most important person iit the Dominion. The discovery of the curious blunder in the first count of the votes polled at one of the booths in the Hawke’s Bay electorate has led to ciuite a crop of demands for lecounts, and as already indicated this will necessitate an extension of the time for the return of tho writs. It is not expected anywhere j that another blunder of tlio same kind 1 v ill be revealed, but tho country will be kept on tentoihooks just as long as it would have boon if the second ballot still had been in opeiation. BALANCE OF PARTIES. GOVERNMENT’S NEXT MOVE. [From Oik Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, December 17. To-day the Prime Minister announced to the Press that in connection with the remarkable development of the political situation, tho Government will do the right thing. He is not, however, prepared to say at this stage what tho Government considers to be the right thing, but it is generally believed that Parliament will be called together some time in January to .“try out” the position by the actual test of tlio division lobby. The Government's decision need not bo expected for several days, until the recounts in Hawke’s Bay and Dunedin Central are complete. These recounts (a preliminary to which is a £2O deposit by tlie candidate making tho application) are conducted with great care, the process involving a few clays’ work by the returning officer and his assistants. Until the results are officially announced the Government’s next 'move will not be made public. Meanwhile the time fixed for tho return of the writs has had to be l slightly extended to enable the recounts' to be completed. A CHANGE OF TUNE. “ DOMINION’S ” COMMENTS. [From Opr Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, December 17. Discussing the changed political situation due to Dr M’Nab’s return, the | “ Dominion ” drops its bitter antiWard attitude, suggesting that only I two courses are open—compromise or | dissolution. “ The country,” it says, does not want another general election. Those controlling its affairs should bo in a strong position, free to concentrate tlie whole of their energies on meeting the heavy responsibilities which must necessarily rest on them in the exceptional circumstances occasioned by the war. Neither Mr Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward could hope to be in this position under the existing state of parties. A further appeal to tho electors would mean that Ministers would have to neglect for a timo that close attention to their official duties so necessary at tlio present juncture. The country would once more s-ttlfer from the disturbing effects of a general election, possibly without a sufficiently decisive result to remedy the existing disability. : Under the conditions, it seems to' us i tho obvious duty of the leaders of tlio two principal parties to como together and see it some basis for a working agreement, mutually satisfactory, cannot bo arrived at. This may at first sight appear distasteful to both parties. It would involve sacrifices by both parties; but if there ever was a time when the party politician should rise superior to the narrow interests of party and place the interests of his country above all others, it is now.” I The “New Zealand Times,” answerling the “Evening Post’s” coalition I suggestions, remarks: —“If it happens j that victory rests with tho Liberals, j we conclude it may be taken for grantj cd that tiio progressive party will have ’ the support of the Massoyites in carrying on tho government of tho country free from party strife until tlio war crisis has ended. This is surely what tlio argument of our contemporaries iamounts to.”

STILL UNCERTAIN. HAWKE’S BAY SEAT. [Per Press* Association.} HASTINGS, December 17. Although the returning officer refuses information, it has leaked out that at the Council Chambers booth 100 of Dr M’Nab’s votes were wrongly credited to Mr Campbell. Dr M’Nab also gained a further fivo votes.

Another recount is proceeding. Hie final official declaration will not bo made until this is completed. It is rumoured that several irregularities are known to have occurro 1 The candidates’ fate is still very uncertain.

Dr'M’Nab received an ovation from his supporters on his arrival from Wellington this evening. Crowds of admirers took the horses from the carriage awaiting him, and amid great cheering, the vehicle in which the doctor was seated was pulled through the town. From the balcony of his old committco rooms he delivered a tactful and generous speech. He could not say whether there would be another election or not, but ho felt confident that when Parliament met the leaders would be ablo to evolve a condition of things that would enable the business of the country to be carried on. He emphasised that the administration could not bo continued by any party that had not tho confidence of the country.

The returning officer is still busy with the roll, apparently satisfying himself that everything is in order. When seen late this evening ho stated ho had no information for the Press further than that ho had to make his official declaration on Saturday.

NORTHERN MAORI SEAT.

ATTITUDE OF TAU HENARE.

DECLINES TO MAKE DEFINITE STATEMENT. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December ’7.

An interesting despatch has been received from tho “Herald’s” Kawakawa correspondent with reference to the attitude of Tau Henare, representative of the Northern Maori district, concerning whom there are many inquiries. During the last few days Tau has received great numbers of letters and telegrams from men in prominent places, but he has declined to make any definite announcement. Several Taiamai chiefs assert that they supported Tau because they believed he would support Sir Joseph Ward and they now demand that he should declare himself within a week. Other influential Natives have telegraphed to Tau suggesting a conference of eight tribal representatives to decide what party he will support, but Tau only replica, “ Call to your mind tho saying of our ancestors, ‘ If the karaka berry is eaten too soon it makes one drunk.’ ” Several Wliangarei gentlemen telegraphed to Tau aslcing whether lie supported Massey or Ward. He replied with all courtesy that ho would allow them two guesses. A movement is on foot to present a petition against the election of Tau, on tho ground that at several places there were no European returning offi cers and that at cno placo tho booth was not even open. Tho correspondent, after remarking that this morning Tau Henare was deluged with correspondence and hearing a rumour that an Opposition orga ■- iser was in the district, left on a visit to the bush in tho back blocks, proceeds:—“ln the couise of an interview with the ‘ Herald ’ correspondent Tau said that he was not pledged to either party, but his general inclination was to support tho present Government. on a want-of-confidence motion. He would not be a party man. Ho would represent the Northern Maoris, many of whom are on either side. Ho was not a plaything to be found in Mr Massey’s pocket or Sir Joseph Ward’s pocket, and was not a dog to respond to tho crack of the party whip.” WAIRAU. R, M’Callum (L.) . . 3517 J. Duncan (R.) . . 3148 G. Turner (I.) . . 25 Informal, 109. OAMARU. E. P. Lee (R.) . . 3408 J. A. MacPlierson (L.) . 3070 Informal, 99. TIMARU. The final result is as follows: J. Craigie (L.) .... 43C8 F. H. Smith (R.) . . . 3198 Informal • . . . . . 86

DUNEDIN CENTRAL. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, December 17.. Air Statliam has applied for a magis-tex-ial recount for Dunedin Central. AVELLINGTON EAST. [Per Press Association.] AVELLINGTON, December 17. Air M’Laren has lodged an application for a Alagisterial recount of the votes polled in the Wellington East election. LICENSING POLL. TIMARU. Tho following is the official return : Continuance .... 3988 No-License .... 3407 BURUNDI. Continuance .... 3136 No-License .... 1719 KAIAPOL Continuance • . . . 3067 No-License .... 2811 REFORAIERS IN DUNEDIN. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, December 17. A meeting of supporters of the Reform party in Dunedin and PortClAlmers was held to-night, when it was decided unanimously to form a branch of the New Zealand Political Reform League. A committee of twenty was appointed to go into various matters connected with the movement and report to a general meeting to he held not later than the thirdAVednesday in January.