THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1924. POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19197, 13 June 1924, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 1924. POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

The approaching re-assembly of the Now Zealand Parliament is, we take it, being awaited by a large majority of the people of the dominion in a spirit of philosophic calm, occasionally stirred by more or less artificial manifestations of partisan activity. It is true that Mr Massey, speaking at Wanganui on Wednesday, said that it pleased him to find that the people of the country were taking a keener interest in politics than they had taken in the past.” This would bo an acceptable circumstance if the Prime Minister’s observation could be regarded as quite accurate ; but those who remember the stirring political conditions of, say, a quarter of a century ago may rather be disposed to reflect that alert interest in political affairs is not the compelling feature in the life of the community that it used to be. Still, there have been some slight ebullitions of controversial enterprise during the last few weeks. The Liberal campaigners have spasmodically kept up their affected advocacy of an unintelligible propagandist!, and “ the old Liberal flag ” was hoisted with pathetic bravery at Ashburton on Wednesday, when Mr Forbes, after taunting Mr Massey with not having resigned after the last general election, tried to fortify his stricture with a most astonishing illustration. “ Mr Baldwin,” sapiently remarked the member for Hurunul, “ unlike Mr Massey, recognised a virtual defeat and stepped down.” A virtual defeat I Mr Baldwin, overwhelmingly defeated in the constituencies, did not “ step down ” until the House of Commons had confirmed the popular verdict by a majority''-of nearly eighty votes. Mr Massey, not obviously defeated in the constituencies, awaited parliamentary interpretation of an equivocal verdict; and naturally enough ho did not “step down” when Parliament decided in - his favour. It would bo hazardous to pronounce confidently concerning the likelihood of a premature general election. Mr Forbes says “ ho would not be surprised to see an election before the expiry of the full term of tho present Parliament ”; but we entertain a shrewd suspicion that the Liberal loaders and organisers are not in anxious haste to face the ordeal of popular judgment. The leader of the Labour Party, speaking on tho same day as Mr Forbes, expressed the opinion that “ an election was hardly likely this year ” ; and there is reason to surmise that both Labour and Liberalism would gladly tarry in the possession of their present parliamentary numbers, in the Micawberesque hope that something tending to their advantage may turn up in the interval. Their nervous hopes are overshadowed by the fear of some-

thing after the next dissolution, —that doubtful venture from whose bourn not every traveller will return. It is safe to assume that Mr Wilford and Mr Holland both bear in mind the fact that at the last general election the Reform Party lost some scats by very narrow majorities, and that the result in these instances, largely influenced by local or personal considerations, might have been different if it had been anticipated that a crucial political situation would follow. As regards the coming session Mr Holland is probably right in supposing that' the three Liberal members who refused last year to assist a factious attempt to displace the Massey Government will adhere to their well-reasoned resolve. It is not to bo forgotten, nevertheless, that conceivable contingencies might increase the precariousness of the Ministerial position.