POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXII, Issue 58, 6 May 1924, Page 2

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

U AN ELECTION PENDING?

There has been such a long intervnl .since Parliament prorogued that people appear to have almost forgotten to talk about political questions, and nobody has appeared to care even the proverbial tinker's curse as tc what happened in the political world (writes the Wellington correspondent of the Argus). But a change, is taking place, there is a rattling of political dry bones, and now in clubs, and elsewhere where people assemble, political talk is coming to the surface and political prospects are being freely discussed. One reason for this is that it is known jfchat the Liberal Party are in a state of preparedness and will soon be on the stump, their debut having been slightly delayed by the recent ill-starred railway strike.

Mr Wilford. it is said, has a complete organisation to tour the Dominion, amongst his principal speakers for the North Island being Messrs Masters and Veitch, both fluent sneakers and quite at homo on the platform. These gentlemen, with their Leader will, no doubt, in'no unsparing manner, advertise the manifold sins and wickednesses of the Reform Party with an eye to the next General Election. But all the energy is not on one side, the Reformers are getting ready, and ar e . organising, quietly, but they believe effectively, and they have been bus v for some months.

A meeting of the Reform League was held in Petone one night last week when the Official Organiser reported the establishment of many new branches. Amongst th o speakers at the meeting referred to was the member for Egmont, Mr O. J. Hawken, who appears to bo one of. Mr Massey's 'trusted lieutenants. The Petone meeting was a little different from the ordinary political gathering inasmuch as It was enlivened by-musi-cal selections, recitations, and a supper to finish up with. Possibly "Tom" Wilford's merry men will go one tetter by introducing dancing.

The railway strike j s said to have had a good deal to do with the present political activity. Before the strike the general'opinion was thai Mr Massey would carVy G n during the coming session "-with his slender' majority, trusting to the general disinclination o n the parV'of Members to face a General Election" to help him to tide over any difficulties that might arise. But now public opin'-' ion, at least Beform 'opinion, is th'dt: the Prime Minister's position has been so strengthened 'by the railway" strike that it would be a masterstroke on bis part to force a General Election at the earliest possible bpportum'tv, for it is certain that, on the whole, the electors of the Dominion are satisfied that the firm attitude taken up bv Mr Massev and bis colleagues shortened the "strike and prevented it from bringhiF about + he. most disastrous industrial upheaval the Dominion has ever knomfJ i But n great objection; to an earlv, "lection is the difficulty of fichting country eoa+s in tho winter. To fio-bt n bnck-blof-Vfi eW-Win the winter, os if should ho fongbt.;;is almost an. i*mnn K si'h''l'tv. Roads ."re Mocked .in mnnv nbiees in the dead of winter, nennlo cannot, possibly attend the political meetings t ca.u{]iclateß; after floundering through bush' roads and tracks where the,.,mud is nearly, up to the saddle flaps. find only three or four electors to meet them at the local schoolhbu.se,' A winter election campaign may suit city candidates, but it will not suit country candidates. These considerations must tell heavily against the probabilities of an early election.

The Labour Party have been busy making political hay, or attempting to, during Ihe strike season, but with what success remains to be seen. They have had their ''Strike Organisers" at work in various parts of the Dominion. They did not preach the policy of "End the strike," nevertheless the strike has ended in spite of the Organisers, so it is difficult to see where they have made any gain by the recent disturbance. Of course Labour may have hardened up against the Reform Government, but as that section of the electors always have been opposed to Mr Massey the political position simply remains "a s - you were." The interesting point is whether the Labourites or the Liberals will have gained the most by the strike. If Labour has gained then there is a chance that it may become the Official Opposition, and tins, of course, is Mr Holland's great objective. But there are Liberals in Wellington who. remembering that so many of Mr Holland's followers were returned merely by the accident of the "split vote," are prepared to make wagers that several of the Labour representatives at present in the House will lose their seats. Time will tell.