"STRATFORD EVENING POST" MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1920. FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 83, 19 November 1928, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST" MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1920. FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

ALTHOUGH th e l'»al results will not be known for at least two days, the Bruce Government can be sure

of a working majority as an cutc'ome of the Federal Elections held on Saturday. At present Mr Bruce has 28 seats and Labour a similar number, while seven are in the balahW There are, however, eleven seats held by the Country Party and one by the Progressive Country' Part'y, which is probably something like being the same thing. The Nationalists and the Country Party are in coalition and although the question of this coalition "was to be reviewed aflfr the election, they practically went to the country as one party. The figures seem to indicate that they will remain so, for neither is able to carry on without the other, and neither is likely to form any combination-with Labour. Mr Bruce's victory has undoubtedly been helped by the industrial upheavals which have been crippling the country for some tim e past, the people probably realising that a Government which would take a firm stand against the tactics employed by unionists was necessary. At 1 (th e sam e .time, the Government's majority has been reduced consid-, erably, which means only cne thing, viz., that the Government is unpopular and although the only alternative offering was Labour many of the people were prepared, even in view of th e industrial troubles, to turn tc it. , This is a clear indication of the fallacy of "the only two parties" cry which has been talked of so much by interested people in. New Zealand, as well as elsewhere. We have always held that the three-party system is by far the safer, as it always provides an alternative. When the people become tired of cue extreme they do not have to go to th e ether. The Australian elections prjove this view. Few will attempt to deny the possibility of a Labour Government 1 in New Zealand had the United Party not offered the alternative.