THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14895, 22 January 1912, Page 6

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

< The manner in which electors are ' gathering in many parts of the Do- ' minion to tender congratulations to members returned to support the } Reform Party' demonstrates that the i wave of reform is in no way due to - the excitement* of an election cam- - paign. Several gatherings of a political character have been, held in, 1 Auckland recently, and on each a occasion leading members of the

—- , ■■--'- ■ •■■■■ .■* ■• • :■'"" Tr Reform Party have been greeted a with' the enthusiasm which marked * the pre-election demonstrations. On Wednesday, evening next, unless all t indications are totally misleading, I there will be a memorable political c gathering at the Auckland Town . Hall, when Mr. Massey and many of j his colleagues will meet their active t supporters and address them upon 1 the political situation. We do not c doubt that the member for Franklin { will express his confidence in his , ability to defeat the Government and t to carry on the administration of the i national business. There has been y much controversy regarding the } actual strength of parties in the new f Parliament, but it is reasonably cer- < tain- that a majority of the members * will be found voting with Mr. Mas- i sey. His majority . may be numeri- ( cally small and many difficulties will ] have to be encountered with tact ' and ability, but this will give Mr. * Massey full opportunity to display the qualifications for political leader- j ship which he has developed during his staunch and gallant fight in opposition. From a national point of view a small majority is not • wholly disadvantageous, for it must j engender among the rank and file, i an attention to duty that must be. : for the, benefit of the community. The strongest ally of a new and energetic Administration will be the ■, weight of public opinion. The Dominion has at last realised that the only means of remedying the evils and removing the handicaps that are stunting national progress is ,by transferring authority to more democratic hands and by re-estab-lishing the constitutional control of Parliament. Under the circumstances, therefore, public opinion is not likely to tolerate any organised attempt in Parliament to render the administration of a Massey Government futile for good. Parliaments are notoriously unwilling to condemn themselves to premature dissolution, and the Parliament, of 1912-14 will be more than reluctant to force Mr. Massey to appeal to electors who may be relied upon to' support; him loyally in every k sincere and vigorous attempt to rescue the country from the morass of incompetent administration into which it ha& : fallen. The relative positions of" the two parties will be accurately determined next month, but behind the position of parties stands the need for drastic and far-reaching reforms. J When the people have authorised vigorous remedial measures, and have im- , posed upon a party the responsi- • bility of redressing grievances, a small and united - majority can be more effective than a huge majority . held together by no better bond than fear of offending an autocratic . Cabinet. ■•-■-•-• .