THE ELECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 5, 5 December 1931, Page 2

THE ELECTION

MR HOLLAND AT WESTPORT. VIEWS ON THE RESULT. Per Press Association. WESTPORT, Dec. 5. Mr H. E. Holland, the Leader of the Opposition, returned to Westport yesterday and was met several miles out by a large concourse by whom he was escorted into town. At night he attended the Buller Labour victory ball, at which there was a large attendance. On his entry he was greeted with cheers and the singing of “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Speaking in response to the welcoming speech of the president of the Labour representation committee. Mr Holland reviewed the political situation as the election had left it. He said the anticipated repercussion or the British election had not eventuated. The Labour Party had gained some seats and the Coalition and Independents had gone to the country with 60 members and had come back with 66. The Labour Party had gone out with 20 and had come back with 24. There had been no substantial change, but Labour alone had improved its position. Seats won from United by Reform and vice versa involved no fundamental principle; the changes were purely personal. New Zealand now had a Government with two heads and no policy,, added Mr Holland. The' Coalition had asked for and received a blank cheque and it was now .a question of how the blank would be filled in. The position was so utterly desperate in relation to unemployment and companion problems that Parliament should be called together at the earliest possible moment, and the Government should be required without delay to formulate the policy it had promised from the hustings." Labour had no cause to be dismayed with the election result. Notwithstanding the combination made for its defeat it had won additional seats and had missed others by significantly narrow majorities, while its aggregate vote had been substantially increased and its position as the only possible alternative to the Government was permanently established. MAORI RESULTS. TWO MORE FINALS. The final figures for the Northern and. Eastern Maori seats have been made available. The Southern Maori returns were completed on the night of the Maori election, but in the case of Western Maori there is still one return outstanding. The final results for Northern and Eastern Maori are:— NORTHERN MAORI.. Tau Henare (0.R.) 3306 P. Paikea (Ra.) 2115 W. Witehira 224 Majority for Henare ... 1191 EASTERN MAORI. Hon. Sir A. Ngata (C.U.) 5123 T. Moko (I.) 1993 Majority for Ngata ...' 3130