THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 31, 19 January 1912, Page 5

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

WHAT HAS THE FUTURE IN STORE FOR US ? . /

THE AIM OF THE LABOUR PARTY. "

(Per Press'Association.) Invercargill, January 18, ' In an interview with the ; “News,” Mr. McNab, formerly Minister of .bands, said lie did not expect an early appeal to the countryas neither party would care to incur the odium of plunging the country into a general election and thereby postponing tho next licensing poll until the end of next Parliament. The Labour Patty Was organising with more vigour, and was not anxious for an election before three years, as it would take that time to make the necessary preparations, which he understood would. bo fairly extensive, in order to try find put the party in New Zealand in line with labour in Australia as a political power. j MR. G. W. RUSSELL’S VIEWS.

Christchurch, January, 17,

Speaking at a social gathering tendered to him last night, Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P., said, regarding the political situation, that he could not remember a similar position to that of the present time. Thirty-eight of Mr Massey’s supporters had been returned, but that was not a majority. The small balance of Independents might be said to hold the balance of power. Messrs. Veitch, Robertson and (Paylie had been returned as “Labour”, members, although it was hardly correct to say that they actually represented, the Labour Party, as they had in the second baljots obtained the Opposition votes.

Some people were’ under the impression that if Mr. Masey foriribd a Government, and that ‘ Government was defeated, there might be it dissolution in five or six weeks. In his opinion, however, there 'would be no ground for asking for a dissolution until every means of forming ai stable Government had been exhausted. Both Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward had placed their policies before the people prior to the, election, and if either of these platforms' was not acceptable to the people, if might be that some other member of' the Liberal Party would be acceptable to the Labour Party, and the Lhbour members would range themselves ■ on the side of the Liberal Party, enabling that party to carry on. , ’ . The public revenue accounts sllotved m increase of £600.000 for "i fijne months actually in sight, which shbuld mean an overflowing treasury With a balance of some £BOO,OOO at the end of tm* financial year on March .list, "-mild it he advisable to fling out of ofnro tho party who had brought; this happy state of affairs-about ? ’ ,