Thames Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1919 THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Thames Star, Volume LIII, Issue 14070, 18 December 1919, Page 2

Thames Star.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1919 THE POLITICAL SITUATION

" With malic* towards turn*; with charity for all: with firttmm in tfo right, at Qo& gim vf h m tfo rigW—ttftCQWs

It w*s not 'gbuen-ally expected tliat die Gu'Vtaai2jio|iit would secwe a.' swaey'ii^ victory as 'they have dome 1 and ail thought wo in«.tuni/i!y. regret that die Liberal Paa-ty ' did -iiiot. mialke t* butter showing^ wo extend our hearty ooiagriitukiitiioinis to thy Prim© Minister jiaiil ta Mr T. W. Rhodes^ tlie loaul rnieinnbeir. IV .our m.m;d fclie> most regrettable feature is the . ded'eiai of Sir Joseph Ward inn his comstitiueney. Hia services have been of great value to N.Z., aaid the Empire and it is unfortunate that his ability amd! fxpieii"ienc(a -should bei lest to the pea-; .pie otf New Zealand during the diftv: cult days of rewnstruotioin. It is little less than a uKitiocml .calamity that the service of soi distinguished; a statesman! shouild be rejected by the j people of a ©anstiitueinay h« has sen-- i ved wdl foi- very many yeairs. .TW .position; of-'parties' is not ailtogeitiheu 1 cileair, as there arei sot. many Independents of all shades, and colours, but tliene i« tioi doubt thait Mr MasseyJi:^ beie)iii. retiiiiiued witii a" aleju*| niiaijoinity over amy possible -ooimiiinia- f tionl, AVhidh will emable him toi cai'i-y ouiii liis protgji'aMiniiei without gerioua oipivayition. The Labour Party has beem greiaitly stremgtnie,nod, especially aib the' of tlv^ Liberals, es-J peciially 'imi Auckland*, and Mr Hollaaid shiould be oibl© t© musfer about 15 ! lniembeiisi oini .policy matters, although ! imatiiy of the iMdlepemdeut Laibourites ai'a not strong 1 'party men. For a timia^ at aray aiate, tlie pmdulum has ; SArnnig! away from Liberalism and the sti'ong .phalanx" oaioe led by RidTnri-'tl Jolum Soddanr lias almost disappeared, has beeai shaiply divided into two antaigoinistict groiiips, the GoMeratives aaid thei Liberals', "vvlrile tho middle oouits© of ■ Liberalism lias ' beoiu put away. However it. is: the deliberate dioioe of tile country awd only expeii-iettioe will shew whether it haa b^en wise oir mot.' I%© itesdilt of. the lioeiiiiing; quiestioii will surprise maiuiy. It was generally oomisiderfed that the tlwce-issu© ballot j ipaper would Mil the dianic© of pa-o-' hibiti-oia, but sa generial was"tliei n«- j gleet Qif State Coaiitrol till at Prohibit io« { made a bigl fight aaid htna present i appearances it looks- as af it might ■ he oai'ri'ied. The ■saoiiida.nty =of the" sol- j dietrs' xot<& liwki 'evediiitely disappeared, i with the aibwot'ljtion; of tlie s"-"W.icrs 1 nani^ng 1 the' civiliaiu people, and it' se©m« clear that maniy of thenii must hiave 3'eviised;. the views they had iiiii AJpi"ii in regia»«d to Prohibition, tliere will bo in.uiniaro'us minor moclinoar I tio'iw, tut the mian'n 'ss'aes are fjiMy ! certain!, fiurst that Mr Massey'« policy ' has been stroini^ly endorsed a.n,l seoendly that ai miaijon-ity of the electors favour Tfoitionml Prbhibitron.. I