PERTINENT POINTS

NZ Truth, Issue 889, 9 December 1922, Page 6

PERTINENT POINTS

The one .outstanding feature of th» general election so far as a perspective can be groined from the present figures is the complete debacle of the Massey Administration and tha emphatic expression of the country as a whole that it is sick to death of Conservative legislation, and that it must and will have' legislation for the masses as opposed to legislation for the classes. Whatever form of medicine it desires to replace -the nauseous draught that has been forced: upon it for so long it matters not .-provided its constituents are mixed with an eye to the health of the, whole community. ■ '*■ *C "' ■ ,- '* ■'■ - •.;•:■ ; .. This convincing Volte 'face is further ■• emphasised by the fact that iff a poll of exceptional heafiness, wher§*i % 57,124$ votes were cast for the Government, no fewer than 340,490 votes wero : £ast tlatly against Reform. In othW wor&s, S3.3GS voters declared against Mr Massey. m excess ; of those wtfo^dectared for him. Even m his '^Vn constituency this was notlceabTe; for thai Prime Minister was returfietl with a noticeably smaller ma jbrity:' than at ' the 1919 election; These Wgures, of' course, are subject' to revison when v the final returns are m. T \ ■«■•■• .■•■*,;:, :-V"» ■' ,-C- ■■'■■'.. I "It may be necessary- again to appeal to the country; but there ate I many forms and ceremonies to be gone through before \ that can take \ place," Says the Prime Minister. ! Reform leaders do not profess to. derive any comfort from . the results so far disclosed. They make them: . . , reform .;.-.. 1.^;^.;.^,,, ,..; -^j ;';;v LIBERAL-LABOR .'.... • ... . ." 22 - OFFICIAL LABOR .... '.-. . . 'if INDEPENDENT (Statham) I "The results show the necessity fol» ' |a. reconstruction of parties."— -Mr ;■ Massey. . ■■../.■ ;,.. . Is the outcome to be a National Party v. Official Labor? • ;^ „ Every Labor member who sat m the last Parliament was re-elected, - and Messrs McKeen, Monteith, Armstrong. Lee, Mcllvrlde, ' Jordan, Langstbne, and O'Brien are added to their number, ■ " " ■■ ■■ ■ •'■ ■■ -■•: •■■■■:■• . . ♦ •. ■ - Most of Labor's successes wore scor- ■ ed m the big centres of population^ One of the biggest ■ surprises was the defeat of Mr Speaker (Sir Frederick Lang) at Manukau by Labor candidate Jordan. , ' Chairman of .Committees Malcolm also went under. * •;■■*■ .'-■■■■ The Hon. E. P. Lee is the only Cabi- • net Minister who appears to have lost • his seat on the initial count (Oaxnaru). Lib -Lab Leader Wilford is waiting \ for all final figures before making any comment, ; ' • . •' ' - -\ f ■ , ■..-:.' - Results m ten electorates are still uncertain at ,tlme of .writing. Two points in 'doubt: ,v , ■■> Is Jordan , (Maaukau) •* Official Labor? ' , • Is ,McC. Dickson (Chalmers) trua blue/Reform? . . ■*' ■'• - *' ■-■' -." v Comment of Official Labor Leader Holland: , ■.:;■■;"';:.•..;:: Labor had made a great advunce, and m the event of its, not securing ' the position "of the Official Opposl- •' tion it. would hold the balance -pt power between the other two 'parties.' i This would result m a speedy driving of the anti-Labor elements into one camp. , / - • . ■.-• , ■ • « . . . vVigor Brpwn was nicely "browned" and finished an Ignominious last at. Napier." *- '^ "■• T .'" s ?*'