The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH 18 INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1914. REVIEWING THE FIGURES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 298, 15 December 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH 18 INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1914. REVIEWING THE FIGURES.

Wellington Dominion, discussing the political situation, says that at the elections last week the, votes for Refonn candidates totalled over 236,000, or an increase of over 53,000 votes.' On the other hand, the total votes ot the Ward and Labour Parties show a falling-off of 45,000 votes. This is a very striking evidence of the fact that there has been a marked movement of Moderates from their old allegiance in order to range themselves under the banner of the Reform Party. A further proof of this may be gathered from the polling results of the last four general elections, and in considering these it should be borne in mind that the position of the Reform Party in respect of the election just concluded is likely to be improved by the count now proceeding. The figures represent the European members' seats only:— STRENGTH OF PARTIES. 1905. 1908. 1911. 1914 Liberals ... 57 48 34 30 Reform ... 15 26 37 39 Independent 4110 Labour ... 0 1 4 7 As mentioned above, there is yet a chance of the Govenunent securing one or more seats, which would make the figures for 1914 still more striking in the evidence they afford of the growth of the Reform movement and the corresponding loss in popularity of Liberalism since the death of Mr Soddon. The growth of the Labour vote is also noticeable. Here, as elsewhere, organised labour is demanding direct representation, and this demand must encroach more and more on the ranks of what was once the Liberal Party.