THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18735, 13 December 1922, Page 7

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

A rOOiIIUiVL i MAGISTERIAL RECOUNTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON.' December 12. The_ political sky is still overcast, and there is no gleam of light showing through. It is perhaps rather early to expect -that there should be. The state of uncertainty is affecting trade, which is depressed in the city. A contract for a £150,000 building'' has been cancelled, as those interested writ' not undertake such an expenditure unless" there is_a surety that a stable Government will be in power. The shopkeepers also are complaining of the dullness of trade. One point that has been overlooked by ' the great bulk of the electors who voted.-j' i against a strong Government is the faof. ! that within a very few years New Zealand" will have some £00,000,000 of loans falling,... due. Within the current financial year’ . loans for £30,000,000 become due. The" • renewal of such loans at the very favpur-, able price the Massey Government recently v obtained is not going to be an easy matter." if there is no stable Government in power,, in New Zealand. All sorts of suggestions are being made," as to the politics of the immediate future..', ... Some people are talking of coalition, others., A of a fresh election, anef a few have already k'jftW appointed Mr Wilford to the speakership.ppT'hese latter forget that the appointmentof the Sjpeaker rests with the House o£ : - ■representatives, and not with a party, un-, less the party is stirong enough to appoint • . its own nominee. There is besides con--,' siderable doubt as to whether Mr Wilford’s * ambitions would bo satisfied with the J Speakership and a K.O.M.G. at the end of . . V tne first term. It is also doubtful whether * . Mr Massey and Mr Wilford could coalesce, i though some amalgamation of parties may i be brought about in the natural course of ’ events, if Mr Massey won out on a ncconfidence motion with a sufficient majority to ensure his carrying on the business of the Parliament in, a satisfactory mannerr;,, It is still too early to predict what will' happen, and the position may not be cleared- ' up even after ail the absentee votes have been counted, because it is almost certain that some of the defeated will, exercise', their rights to claim a magisterial recount, - thus another 10 days or so must elapse, before the exact position of parties is known. At present it seems as if there must be?;' a meeting of Parliament in February.-r.-What will take place then no one cart >t> predict with any degree of certainty. .'ini