THE PRIME MINISTER.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15259, 22 December 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PRIME MINISTER.

THANKS FOR PUBLIC CONFI-

DENCE.

[United Press Association.]

Wellington, Dec. 17. Mr Massey appeared at the "Dominion" result board shortly after 11 p.m., his appearance being the signal for a great outburst of cheers. He said that though the election returns were not yet complete a majority for the Government was assured. He wanted to thank the electors throughout the Dominion for the expression of confidence in the Government whiah had been recorded ab the polls that day. Many experienced politicians had fallen out of the ranks and their places had been taken fey others, but he felt certain the verdict of the electors would be accepted in the proper spirit. He believed the services of the men who had been unsuccessful that day would not be lost, but that again they would foe found doing their best, as they had done in the past, in the interests of the Dominion.. They would have heard that one Minister had been defeated and three ex-Ministers, and also several men who had taken a very important part in the councils of the' Dominion. He believed that a substantial majority of. members had been returned to support law and order, and so far as. he could understand a substantial majority had also been returned to support the policy of development in connection with reconstruction which had been put forward by the Government. Mr Massey added: "I hope that now the election is practically over we shall forget the incidents of to-day and any little bitternesses, and that whatever our politics may be we shall be found working together, forgetting our party politics, and all doing our level best for the country to which we belong."