WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16521, 23 August 1919, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

POLITICAL SITUATION. MASSEY GOVERNMENT SAFE. i ' BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, August 22. Following the general election in 1914 the state of the parties was: Reform 41, Liberal 33, Laoour 6. The Reform Party bad then a majority of two over the Liberal and Labour sections. With Sir .Frederick Lang in the Speaker s chair there was therefore a majority of one, and with Mr. Malcolm as chairman of committees, would have to exercise his vote to give Rerorm a. majority over the other two parties..voting solidly. Since the general election there have been nine by-elections, as follows: laranaki, Mr. S. O. Smith (Progressive Democrat) succeeded Mr. 11. J. Okey (R.); Southern Maori, Mr. J. H. W. i Urn (lud.) succeeded Mr. C. Par at a (LA; Grey, Mr. H. E. Holland (Lab.) ' succeeded Mr. P. C. Webb (Lab.); Weli lington Central, Air. R. Semple (Lab.) ! succeeded Mr. A. 11. Hindmarsh (Lab.); i Wellington Central, Air. P. Fraser i (Lab.) succeeded Air. R. Fletcher (L.), ( WAllington North, Air. J. P. Luke ' )R.) succeeded Air. A. L. Hordraan (R.); Palmerston North, Air. J. A. Nash (R.) succeeded Air. D. Buick (R.); Hawke’s Bay, Sir J. Findlay, (L.) succeeded Dr. M'Nab (L.) ; Pahiatua, Air. O. H. Smith (R.) succeeded Air, J. Esoott (R.). 1 The net result of these elections is ; that Reform lias lost one seat, Taranaki, • to Mr. Smith, who received the Labour l veto but iias been repudiated by the extreme section. The Liberals have lost Wellington Central tn Labour, and the Southern Maori sent is indefinitely held by Air. Urn, who opposed the National Government candidate but gave qualified support to the National Government during the war. How he would vote in the event of party division is uncertain, but classing him as Liberal the state of the parties now is: , Reform 40 Liberal 32 Labour 8 - it will be seen that in the present 1 definition of parties the Reform position : is precarious, with Sir Frederick Lang iin the chair as Speaker. At the- same | time no other party can show a stronger I front. There may be changes over when ' the session commences, or before that time, but otherwise it is difficult to see : how Iho House can do anything more i than pass absolutely essential business. I Tile figures, of course, refer to the j party status of members when they were ; elected; it does not follow that when ; the House meets all will have unchanged j views, and there is a suggestion of re--1 construction before the session ends. | With the desire on the part of members ; for a strong Government party lines may I not be so firmly drawn, ns there are votes and legislation which must ho I passed, and until this is done it would not be safe for either party leader to defeat the occupants of the Government benches, unless he could fill them himself with more security of tenure. ! Even if Sir Joseph Ward should de- ! cido to move a “no- confidence” amendi ment it is not thought that he could i carry it, as there is more than one man ! included at present in the Liberal tally ; who would not Jie disposed to support such a move. Under the circumstances ! armed neutrality until the necessary : measures are disposed of is suggested as j the course most likely to bo followed.