NEW PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1923, Page 5

NEW PARLIAMENT.

SESSION OPENS TO-DAY. A REVIEW OF THE PARTIES GOVERNMENT IN MINORITY. If the new Parliament which is to meet to-day fails io live out its full term of three years it will be the first that has failed to do so in forty years of New Zealand politics. The Government and the two Opposition parties are so closely balanced on this occasion that the possibility of a fresh election is by no means negligible. Thirty-eight members definitely belong to tiie Reform Party. The Lib-eral-Labor leader, Mr. Wilford, counts on a following of twenty-one. The La. borites number 17. Then there sre three Independent Liberals; and there is one unclassified Independent. GOVERNMENT (38). A. Harris (Waitemata). W. F. Massey (Franklin). C. <l. Parr (Eden). J. S. Dickson (Parnell). J. G. Rolleston (Waitomo). J. G. Coates (Kaipara . V. H. Potter (Roskill). R. F. Bollard (Raglan). T. W. Rhodes. (Thames). W. IT. Herries (Tauranga). J. A. Young (Hamilton). F. Hockly (Rotorua). K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty). O. J. Hawken (Egmont). W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne). G. Hunter (Waipawa). G. 'R. 'Sykes (Masterton). A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa). 'D. H. Guthrie (Oroua). J. Linklater’(Manawatu). J. A. Nash (Palmerston). J. P. Luke. (Wellington North). R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs). W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei). W. H. Field (Otaki). W. J. Girling (Wairau). R. P. Hudson (Motueka). ■R. H. Rhodes (Ellesmere). W. Nos worthy (Ashburton), F. J. Rolleston (Timaru). r i’. D._ Burnett (Temuka). J. Bitchener (Waitaki). J. McC. Dickson ’(Chalmers). W. Downie Stewart (Dunedin West). G. J. Anderson (Mataura). Tau Ilenare (Northern Maori). Maui Pomare (Western Maori). H. W. Uru (Southern Maori). LIBERAL (21). H. Poland (Ohinemuri). F. Lye (Waikato). R. Masters (Stratford). J. R. Corrigan (Patea). G. McKay (Hawke’s Bay). A. lE. Ranson (Pahiatua). W. A. Veitch (Wanganui). T. M. Wilford (Hutt). H. Atmore (Nelson). t.'. W. Forbes (Hurunui). D. Buddo (Kaiapoi). L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North). J. Edie (Clutha). J. Horn (Wakatipu). T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South). De la Perepe (Awarua). A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori). J. A. Macpherson (Oamaru). J. C. Thomson (Wallace). J. A. Hanan (Invercargill). S. G. Smith (Taranaki). INDEPENDENT LIBERAL (3). A. Bell (Bay of Islands). A. J. Murdoch (Marsden). G. Witty (Riccarton). INDEPENDENT (1). C. E. 'Statham (Dunedin Central). LABOR (17). IV. E. Parry (Auckland Central). W. J. Jordan (Manukau). J. A. Lee (Auckland East), M. J. Savage (Auckland West). F. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn)., L. Mcllvride (Napier). P. Fraser (Wellington Central). A. L. Monteith (Wellington East). R. McKeen (Wellington South). F. Langstone ’(Waimanno). H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) IE. J. Howard (Christchurch South). D. G. Sullivan (Avon). J. McCombs (Lyttelton). 11. E. Holland (Buller). J. O’Brien (Westland). J. W. Munro (Dunedin North).

The Government is slightly weaker, on the face of things, than the combined Liberal and Labor parties. It may be, however, that when the House meets the Reform Party will be reinforced by some of the Independent Liberals, and supported —at least on a no-confidence motion —by one or two Wilford Liberals, who declared at the hustings that they would vote for the Government unless the Liberals had an absolute majority in tire House. The addition of five members to the Reform ranks would give the Prime Minister a comfortable working majority. For the Government actually to survive a no-con fidence motion it would need a majority of only one; but it is hardly to be supposed that any Prime Minister would be content to work with such a narrow margin. LIBERAL-LABOR PARTY. TO PRESERVE ITS IDENTITY. Wellington, Last Night. The Liberal-Labor Party’s caucus to-day confirmed Mr. Wilford’s leadership and placed cn record hearty and sincere appreciation of his services during the election campaign, congratulating him on the effort made.

The party also declared for the mail tenance of its identity as one distinct party, supporting the principles of true Liberalism and the real interests of the people, and declaring that so long as the Reform Party continued in power it would be mainly influenced by the owners of large and vested interests, large landowners, etc. The opposition of the Liberal-Labor Party to the Reform Party will be vigorously maintained through continued sympathy with the genuine aspirations of the workers for improved economic conditions and the achievement of this by constitutional means. The partyemphasised its continued opposition to all extreme revolutionary proposals.

THE LABOR PARTY. MEETING OF MEMBERS. Wellington, Last Night. A caucus meeting of the Labor Party was heid at Parliament Buildings this afternoon, every member being present. The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mr. H. E. Holland; deputy-chairman, Mr. M. J. Savage; secretary, Mr. P. Fraser; whips, Messrs, D, G, Sullivan and E. J.

Howard. The secretary said there was no further statement to make. , MORE RUMORS. CHOOSING THE SPEAKER. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Amongst the tumors current on the eve of the opening of Parliament is one to the effect that the Liberals are thinking of proposing the Hon. J. A. Hanan for the Speakership. It is not, however, easy to see what they would gain by this move, for if Mi. Hanan were elected it would mean the loss of a vote to the LiberalLabor Opposition on a no-confidence motion. Possibly when the time comes the Liberals will think better of the idea.

Owing to the death of Mr. Jennings, which was not unexpected, the House may sit on Friday, when the usual motion in the case a death of a former member of the House will be proposed and an adjournment made till Monday.