POLITICAL SITUATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 7, 19 December 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL SITUATION.

WHAT IS THE PROPER COURSE?

Wellington “Dominion” deals with the Situation,thus: —“Wo have shown in previous articles on the political situation after the elections the impossibility of the Ward Administration surviving a no-confidence motion. On Saturday wo analysed the strength oi parties and made it clear that the Post tho Government could hope for on a no-confidence motion was to be in a minority of three. In arriving .it that conclusion we gave tho Government every doubtful vote, including three Native votes. Already, however, there are further signs of disruption in the ranks of the Ministerial following. Mr G. W. Russell has intimated to his constituents that ho recognises that he received the support of a number of Oppositionists and that ha will vote on public measures from a non-party standpoint. Mr Kaikau, who has previously supported tho Ward Administration, and whose chances for the Western Maori electorate are most favoured, is also said to have intimated that lie will lend his assistance to Mr Massey. In fact the position of the Government is very much yeaker than we have stated it to be. It is interesting in the circumstances to recall what happened in 1891 after the defeat of the Atkinson Government at the polls, more especially to recall tiie attitude then adopted'by tho Leader of the Continuous Ministry which has just mot a deserved fate' at the hands of the electors, ft will be recalled that after the elections which took place early in December, 1890, the Atkinson Government were left in a minority and Parliament was summoned to meet on January 23, 1891. Tho election of v Speaker was made a tost question, and tho Government were defeated by 7 votes. Immediately after the divi--,ion, Mr Mitchelson; on behalf of the Government, announced that the Grenier had tendered his resignation and the resignation of the Government uid that Ministers wore merely occuoying their present position until their successors had been appointed. The Atkinson Government thus went out ■tf office a few weeks after the elections.”

Wellington “Evening Post” comments ns follows on the iiolitical situation :—ln the letter of thanks which he has addressed on behalf of the Opposition to the people of New Zealand through the Press ■ Association, Mr. Massey says: “By giving it a majority at the elections the electors have emphatically decided that there must bo a change in the Dominion, and they have expressed their confidence in the party that I have the honour to lead and that has served their interests faithfully and well for many years.” Even for an address of which the principal object is to hearten up his followers for the troublous times ahead, this statement is grossly inaccurate. The elecetors have undoubtedly proclaimed an immense waning of their , confidence in the Ward Government, but to say that they have “emphatically” declared for a change of administration is to miss the very point that is most, embarrassing tno Premier and Mr. Massey himself. It is equally inaccurate to say that the electors have expressed their confidence in the party that Mr.; Massey has the honour to lead. A s party! wJiichi ie in a minority in-a uowly-elacted House of Representatives cannot claim to have the confidence of the electors, and the claim becomes in the present instance the more glaringly untenable if one measures the feelings of the electors by the votes they cast instead of by the political colours of the members whom the accidents of a very imperfect representative system enabled them to return. IP Mr. Massey’s rhetorical account of the success that his party mis won were really correct, the duty of the Government would ho obvious and easy; Sir Joseph Ward would not bo shivering on the brink of uncertainty, nor would Mr, Massey he able to say, “I have not vet arrived at the Cabinet-making stags.” A decisive verdict would have put an end to all the doubts that constitute the peculiar difficulties of the position. But an indecisive verdict which given one party 37 votes and the other 35 in a House of 80 member's raises embarrassing problems for both sides.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The state of the dominant parties as a result of Thursday’s poll is directing keen interest in the personnel cf the Legislative' Council. The Council at present consists of 37 members (the Attorney-General, Sir John Findlay having resigned). They might roughly be classified as Government, Opposition, and Labour, us follows: Speaker—The Hon. Sir C. C. .Bowen, ivt. Austey (G.), Canterbury. Baillie (O.), Marlborough. Baldey GJ.), Otago. Barr (Lab.), Canterbury. Beeimu (G.), Auckland. Bowen (O.), Canterbury. Callan (G.), Otago. Carncross (G.), Taranaki. Collins (G.), Wellington. George (G.), Auckland. Gilmer (.G.j, Wellington. Harris (G.), Auckland. Jenkinson (.Lab.), Wellington. Johnston (O.), Wellington. Jones (G.), Otago. Kelly (G.), Taranaki. Loughnan (G.), WcJlington. Lumsson (G.), Canterbury. Lake (G.), Wellington. McCardle (G.), Auckland. McGowan (G.) Auckland. McLean (0.), Otago. Marshall (G.), Westland. Miller (0.), Otago. Mills (G.), Wellington. Ormond (0.), Hawke’s Bay. O’Rorkc (G.), Auckland. . Paul (Lab.), Otago. Pero (G.), Hawke’s Bay. Rigg (Lab.), ’Wellington. Samuel (G.), Taranaki. Sinclair (G.), Otago. Smith (G.), Canterbury. Stevens 10.), Canterbury. T’hompson (G.), Auckland. Tucker (G.), Hawke’s Bay. Wigram (G.), Canterbury. That gives 'the Government 26 straight-out followers in the Council, ) Labour, and 7 Opposition. Appointments to the Council arc now limited to a tenure of seven years, but the membership of the Council 5 , as a whole, is not limited in members. The Legislative Act provides that “the Governor may from time to time . . . summon to the Legislative Council. . . . such male persons as lie thinks lit . . . .” Appointments are, of course, made on the advice of the Ministry, and all appointments are subject to certain requirements being fulfilled. An undisdmrged bankrupt, for instance, or a Civil servant, cannot be appointed a member of tlio Council. Neither can a person who is a Government contractor. The numerical strength of the Council is weaker now than it has been for many years.