REINS OF GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 13

REINS OF GOVERNMENT.

VARYING PARTY FORTUNES.

REFORM'S PRESENT STRENGTH. THE FALL OF LIBERALISM. In view of the Prime Minister's announcement that the general election is to bo held on November 14, it is interesting to review the varying fortunes of New Zealand's political parties in the House of Representatives. The state of the parties at present is that there aro 53 Government members, 14 Labour, 10 United and 3 Independent. At the general election in 1925 the Government was returned with 55 members out of a House of 80, but the loss of two by-elections, Eden and Raglan, reduced the party to 53, and at the same time raised Labour's strongth to 14. Nevertheless the party to-day is stronger numerically than at any time since tlio Reform banner was raised. During Mr. Massey's long reign ho never possessed a comfortable majority, except in the Parliament of 1920-22, the election of December 17, 1919, securing him a following of 45.

The 1922 election left the Government in an insecure position. Mr. Massey's party numbered 38, against 22 Liberals and 17 Labour members, with three Independents, Messrs. Charles Statham, Allen Bell and G. Witty. The firstnamed accepted the Speakership and Messrs. Bell and Witty supported the Government in crucial divisions, as they had pledged themselves to do. Mr. Massey's Generalship.

Mr. L. M. Isitt, a Liberal, had also given his electorate a similar pledge, the result being to give the Government a majority of three. This, combined with the shrewd political generalship of Mr. Massey, was sufficient to allow the Government to carry on. Going back to 1919, the post-war election gave Mr. Massey a secure majority of 11. Reformers numbered 46, Liberals 20, Labour (including Independent Labour) 11 and Independents 3. The Liberal Party suffered severely at this election, mainly owing to Sir Joseph Ward's precipitate break from the war-time coalition with Reform. The Liberals were reduced from 31 to 20, both the Government and Labour gaining several seats.

The 1914 election, held during tho first uncertain months of tho war, did not return the Reform Government in sufficient strength to carry through the great national tasks which the world struggle demanded. The strength of the parties was:—Reform, 40; Liberal, 31; Labour and Independent Labour, 8; Independent 1. To strengthen the hand of the Government the National Government, a ReformLiberal coalition, was formed in 1915 and continued in office until 1919.

In 1911 occurred one of the crucial elections, in New Zealand's political history, that of 1890 being another. After the latter election tho long Liberal regime commenced and was not shaken until it fell in the events following on the result of tho 1911 election. Sir Joseph Ward Resigns. After the second ballots had been decided on December 14, 1911, tho Liberal Government was left with 33 members in tho House against 37 Reformers. The remaining 10 members, Labour and Independent, were pledged in various ways, in the upshot the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, met Parliament early in 1912 and, lacking an effective majority, resigned. Sir Thomas Mackenzie formed a Ministry on Marcli 28 which was defeated when it met Parliament in the following July by 41 votes to 33. Mr. Massey took office on July 10, and continued as Prime Minister until his death on May 10, .1925.

Tho twenty years prior to 1911 were the days of Liberalism in its prime. It won 46 seats in tho election of 1908, and no less than 65 in 1905. This was the party "peak" when Mr. Seddon, the Premier, literally swept the country and was faced with an Opposition numbering only 15. At the three previous elections the Opposition had fared little better, winning only 21 seats in 1902, 20 in 1899. and 26 in 1896. But. these long years of adversity in the wilderness were not unfruitful, in that the small body forming the Opposition received that full political training and experience which enabled them to use to the national advantage the years of opportunity since 1911. HAURAKI CONTEST. CONFIDENCE IN MR. HALL. The Reform candidate for tho Hauraki seat, Mr. A. W. Hall, addressed a large audience in tho Howick Public Hall on Tuesday evening. Air. J. Crawford, chairman of tho Town Board, presided. Mr. Hall, who was well received, gave an outline of tho good work done by the Reform Government in the. past, and defined its future programme. A vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously accorded.