N.Z. Tendency Is For Lengthy Administrations

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1949, Page 7

N.Z. Tendency Is For Lengthy Administrations

LABOUR’S term tif 14 years as the Government of New Zealand does not constitute a record, although, in 58 years of New Zealand Parliamentary history, no major party has won more than seven of the 18 general elections held,

N Z TENDENCY TWO CO Details of other long-lived administrations are:— LIBERAL BaUan.ee 1891-1593 Seddon „... 1893-1900 Ward 1906-1912 REFORM Massey 1912-1923 Coates 1925-1223 LABOUR Savage 1335-1940 Fraser 1940-1943 PREVIOUS STRENGTH

leadership of Mr Savage, swept the polls in 1933. It was still a powerful Government that went to the country three years later, when a definition of Socialism was a predominant issue placed before electors.

However, the National opposition made slight though appreciable, gains. The election in 1943 brought marked signs of public disapproval of the socialisation policy. The swing continued at the 1946 election but not sufficiently to put Labour out of office. It retained the Government with a majority of four seats, represented by the Maori members,’ and 50.82 per cent of the total votes cast.

The position in the House from the time of the fusion of the Liberal and trade union forces which led to the Richard John Seddon Government is shown as follows: —

No party other than Labour and National has played an important part in politics since 1931.

The Democrat party of 1935, and the Democratic Labour party of 1943 were annihilated at the polls, while two other groups, the People’s Movement and the Real Democracy Movement obtained less than 1 per cent of the votes cast.

Because the barest majority is required to hold the Cabinet portfolios, the composition of the House is often not a true indication of the voting position. ' The reel guage is the overall voting strength as a party may hold a substantial majority in the House on. a small majority of the total votes cast.

TWO PARTIES PREFERRED This effect was not altered by the second ballot "system, which was employed in the 1908 and 1311 elections. The effect of the two-party system was shown by the success of the Seddon administration, which had a clearcut majority. Among the more recent trends public reaction against the depression administration with all its stringency was shown when Labour, under Hie

OppoLiberal sition Others 1391 31 (Ballanoe) ■‘'3 15 1893 52 (Seddon) 16 2 1S96 41 (Seddon) 2S *i ISOS .. 53 (Seddon) 16 1 1G02 43 (Seddon) 13 3 1903 56 (Seddon; ifs 4 1903 43 (Ward) 26 6 Reform Lib •Lac Other 191! 1914 1913 1022 33 (Massey) .. 40 (Massey) 46 (Massey) 31 iVi 8 8 3 1 38 (Massey) 9? 17 3 1925 55 (Coates; 10 12 3 United Her. Lab Other 1926 26 (Ward) Coalition 1-9 b 1931 31 i Forbes) — 24 5 Labour Xauonil Other 1936 55 (Savage)' 13 6 IMS •S3 (Savage) 2 o 2 1948 45 (Fraser) 42 (Fraser) 2~ 1 19-1S 3-* —