THE NEW HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21184, 3 November 1938, Page 6

THE NEW HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

With the completion of the Magisterial recount in the Waitaki electorate, confirming the election of the Nationalist condidate, the state of the Parties in the new House of Representatives has been revealed. All Parties suffered varying degrees of fortune and misfortune at the

The Government, on its part, will doubtless know how to interpret the verdict of the people, which would seem to suggest that the country is capable, if it feels in the mood, of administering sharp rebuffs. The voice of the people, however, has given the Government, with its more than two to one majority in the new House an unmistakable mandate and a free hand. The electors throughout the Dominion will, however, in face of the Government’s almost overpowering strength in the House of Representatives, not regard an access of strength to the National Party with anything but approval. In a democratic Parliament His Majesty’s Opposition has definite and important functions to perform; indeed, the history of the Parliament of New Zealand reveals the eminent soundness of legislation put through a House in which the Opposition has been numerically powerful enough to strongly discharge its recognised functions. The new House will consist of G 6 members who sat in the last Parliament and 14 new members, of whom only two have sat in previous Parliaments. Thus the elections have infused a fair stream of new blood, combining youth with maturity and experience. This is as it should be in a living representative system. The new Parliament will find that its term of office will bring many problems that will call for the careful and dispassionate consideration of all Parties. To a large extent the future is impenetrable. Even in the realm of defence, as has been shown in Australia within the past day or so, changing world conditions have forced fundamental changes on Australian statesmen and advisers into whose keeping has been placed the protection of Australia against possible attack. It can be said that on this issue the co-operation of all sections of the House and the country is assured. The new Parliament will, moreover, find itself confronted with domestic and internal problems of varying degrees of difficulty, and it can be said without exaggeration that the whole country will wish the Government and the new Parliament well in the course that will be taken in guiding New Zealand’s destinies in the next three years.

polls, the net result is as under: New House. Before election. Government .. .. .. 53 55 National .. .. .. .. 25 19 Independents .. .. .. 2 6