ELECTION PROSPECTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8333, 3 June 1905, Page 4

ELECTION PROSPECTS.

The Premier is well satisfied with his ) visit to the central districts of Otago. He returned to Dunedin yesterday, invigorated by the bracing climate of the mountains and well pleased with the condition of the country. As far as the political feeling in the districts through .which he passed is concerned, Mr Seddon professes the utmost satisfaction, i Mr Massey, it will be remembered, inferred after his recent southern tour that the southerners were going over to the Opposition in shoals, and that he , had observed a general " hardening up " of the Oppositionists all along the line. Mr Seddon is by no means dismayed at the prospect. "lam firmly convinced," he said at Dnnedin, yesterday, " that there is no general feeling in the colony in favour of any change of government. The Opposition proper practically admit this. There will be changes here and there in the personnel. You cannot go into battle without losing officers and ' men, but when the numbers go up next November my opinion is that the losses will be about equal on each side, so that the relative position of parties will not be materially changed." This is not an | jover-sanguine forecast. Every intelli--1 gent observer will agree that Mr Seddon is not taking an unduly optimistic view of the coming campaign. As a - matter of fact, he would have had more t .reason than Mr Massey to prediot an improvement in the position of his party. For, in spite of what their leader says, it is dear that the Opposition are not making progress. The truth is that they are so out of sympathy with popular sentiment that they cannot hope to win a majority of the electors over to their way of thinking. The Government, on the other hand, is closely in touch with public opinion. The electors are that if it remains in office it Trill continue to administer the country in the country's best interests. They have no suoh faith in the Opposition. On the contrary, they have good reason to fear that^ if Mr Massey and his friends got into power they would repeal much of^fche progressive legislation introduced by. the present Government. Possessed as they are by this fear the electors are not likely to return an Opposition majority either next November, or for many succeeding general elections. Mr Massey may boast that the tide is turning, and his lieutenants may assign themselves positions in the next Conservative administration, but neither boasting nor aerial castle building will avail them much with the electors. For the present, at any rate, the latter are satisfied with Mr Seddon, and . when they seek to replace him they will ; certainly not look for his successor among the ranks of th*e existing Opposition.