The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST." Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1943. THE ELECTORS’ VERDICT.

Northern Advocate, 27 September 1943, Page 2

The Northern Advocate “NORTHLAND FIRST." Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1943. THE ELECTORS’ VERDICT.

nr* HE tumult and the shouting of the general election has died, I and the captains and kings have had time to review their * tactics and the results achieved therefrom. The results are indeed interesting. They may be expected to provide material for much discussion. The polling resulted in the return to power of the Labour Government which has reigned for the past eight years, but it pruned the numerical strength of the party from 50 members to 44, while it increased the strength of the National Party from 25 to 34. This means that after appointing a Speaker, Labour will have a working majority of 10, with the possible assistance of the sole Independent returned at the polls, though this would probably be off-set by the vote of the one Independent Nationalist who secured election. At least two seats —Oamaru, where a Nationalist obtained a majority of 26 over Mr. Nordmeyer, Minister for Health, and New Plymouth, where Captain Aderman (Nationalist) obtained a majority of 40 over Mr. Frost, the sitting Labour member, will be in doubt until recounts have been completed. Whatever the result of the recounts the state of the parties will not be materially affected. It is therefore fitting, while congratulating the Labour Party on its retention of power, even though considerably diminished, to congratulate Mr. Holland and the National Party for a great achievement against strongly entrenched opponents, who had all the advantage of position and lines of communications. Mr. Holland has good reason to be pleased with the confidence expressed in him by his own constituency, and by the constituencies which returned members of his party. He may regard this as the people’s verdict upon his action in leaving the War Cabinet as an outcome of the Waikato mining strike controversy. The result of the election will not have surprised the majority of people, for there had been a strong feeling that public opinion had swung away from Labour during the five years since the previous election. 'The extent of the swing -was a subject of widely differing estimates, even the defeat of the Government being freely predicted in some quarters. Though these predictions were not fulfilled, the substantial advance made by the Nationalist Party, which is the Official Opposition, is to be welcomed. It will inevitably exert a salutary influence unon the Government, which, if it had not been given so large a majority at the previous election, might perhaps have done more than it did to bring about the political unity so necessary in a time of unprecedented war, and acted less dictatorially.

It may be suggested parenthetically that in view of the National Party’s pre-election promise to try to promote a united War Cabinet if it became the Government, and in view of the smaller margin now separating Labour from Nationalists in the House of Representatives, opportunity is provided for mutual approach by Mr. Fraser and Mr. Holland. It would surely be a fine thing if something of this kind were done in view of the complex and enormous problems which will confront the Government of New Zealand if and when peace is restored. There will then be need at the peace table for an authoritative voice representative of all sections of the people. Whatever may be said of other possible reasons for the setback suffered by the Government, there is little doubt that the growth of control, even though the war may have justified a good deal of it, had begun to alarm electors, who suspected that there was being fastened upon them fetters they would be unable to strike off when the need for wartime restrictions and regimentation had ended. This fear, coupled with the Nationalist Party’s strong opposition to interference with private enterprise and liberty, undoubtedly exercised a strong influence upon electors on polling day. The defeat of the Hon. J. G. Barclay, who had represented Marsden for the past eight years, and the tentative defeat of the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, may be regarded as symptomatic of the people’s fears of regimentation. Mr. Barclay, who had been saddled with the portfolios of Agriculture, Marketing and Lands, had to carry three unpopular infants, each of which was associated with restrictions that many sections of the electors resented. This doubtless contributed to Mr. Barclay’s eclipse. Mr. Nordmeyer, as Minister for Health, likewise had a very controversial infant to nurse, and this no doubt also acted to his detriment on election day.

In defeating Mr. Barclay, Mr. Murdoch deserves hearty congratulations. It is not given to everybody to stage such a comeback after the lapse of eight years. Mr. Murdoch may be confidently expected again to render the excellent service he gave to his constituency and the Dominion when, as member for Marsden and as a Minister of the Crown, he worthily filled his high offices for a period of ten years. Mr. Barclay, though defeated by a large majority, has no reason to be depressed. He returns to private life after a Ministerial career that has earned for him an enviable position in the political world, and his constituents in Marsden will be grateful to him for the service he has rendered them.

Northland as a whole indicated very convincingly its opposition to the Labour Government, for in addition to Marsden ousting Mr. Barclay, the Bay of Islands replaced Mr. Boswell by Mr. S. W. Smith, who stood in the interests of the National Party, and Kaipara chose Mr. T. C. Webb, National Independent, rather than the Labour Party’s nominee, to succeed the late Mr. Coates.

An outstanding feature of the election was the utter rejection of Mr. J. A. Lee and the Democratic Labour Party of which he was the head. His banner was dragged in the dust, and he himself, w r ho at the previous election polled 11,584 votes for Grey Lynn, received only 3495 votes as against 9143 by the candidate of the Labour Party. That he succeeded in defeating Labour in two instances will be poor consolation. Mr. Lee’s adventure is a notable chapter in New Zealand’s history. The Independents, or People’s Party, cut a sorry figure, the electors evidently being of opinion that there is room for only two major parties in the House of Representatives. It is noteworthy, in this connection, that Mr. Barnard, who was Speaker in the*Parliaments held under the Labour regime, but who, after allying himself with Mr. Lee in the formation of the Democratic Labour Party, stood as an Independent, was soundly beaten by the Labour candidate.

Mr. Fraser, while naturally pleased that his Government has been returned to power, will doubtless experience exquisite personal satisfaction in the reiterated confidence of his own constituents, whom he has represented for over a quarter of a century. He was run close by his Nationalist opponent, but interest lies in the fact that Mr. Scrimgeour was given food for thought by the electors of Wellington who evidently believe that fair play is bonnie play. The election being over, it is to be hoped New Zealanders will put aside any feelings of animosity which may have been aroused during the contest, though it must be admitted that the absence of acrimony was a most welcome feature of the elections, and, realising that the need for unity is imperative today, work wholeheartedly for the common cause.