The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY. DECEMBER 9,, 1911. THE COUNTRY'S VERDICT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12840, 9 December 1911, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY. DECEMBER 9,, 1911. THE COUNTRY'S VERDICT.

Tho result of the first ballot'must oei regarded as highly ■■satisfactory.; With no uncertain' vdic'p /t}i(y; cb'iVntry:,; hafi mado known the loss" of its confidence in, the Ward Administration. Whatever may be the o : utcpmeyqf the second" ballots, the verdict rodoftlecl/oh Tlfursday last was sufficient jn itself to em-, pliasise tho complete revulsion of feeling that has taßen-place. "Not-drily, were a number of seats wrested from the Government, sufficient,to leave tin balance of numbers in favour of .the, Reform Party, but even more significant was the tremendous falling off ,ri the aggregate number of votes cast for Ministerial candidates. Roughly speaking, the completed elections leave the Reform Party in possession of 25 seats as against 22 retained by the Government and ono secured by an Independent. Of tho 33 seats to be fought for on Thursday next the probabilities are that at least ton will be secured by the candidates of the Reform Party, who, on the figures as they now stand, ought to be pretty suro of winning Waitemata, Raglan, Parnell, Hawke's Bay, Pahiatua, M<.isterton, Wellington Suburbs, Duned:a ; North, Ashburton, and Invercargill. j Labour, also opposed to the Govern- j inent, appears to hold Grey Lynn, j j Wellington South, Wanganui, and ; Otaki fairly safe, while there is every j likelihood that Nelson, Avon and j Christchurch East will be captured by j Independents. There, are nine elector-! atos in which the prospects o£ the Go-'- j eminent appear to be good, and tho ■ remainder may be classed as doubtf 11. ' Tn tho event of this analysis proving accurate, tho days of the Continuous Ministry will have been numbered, for, even with the four Maori members anJ the three Independents thrown in, Sir Joseph Ward will only be able to muster from thirty-four to thirty-seven followers, while the combined forces • f tho Reform and Labour parties will total between thirty-seven and fortytwo reoresentatives. If wo take tho

prospects of the Opposition candidates at the second ballot at the very lowe.sfc estimate, it seems hopeless for tiio Government to expect to do more than equalise? the parties, and it does not require to be stated that Ministerial existence under those circumstances would prove exceedingly pi-ecarious. We are not at all inclined to take bo low an estimate. We prefer to take what has happened as an indication of what is going to happen again next Thursday. Last evening'the "Herald"' —wo think perhaps unconsciously—

suggested that the Government had merely experienced a taste of tho fate which overtakes all Governments which have been "toojlong in office."

Probably our* contemporary had not intended to put it just like that; but nevertheless it is. the truth. The electors havo realised that the time has come for a change, and it is very likely; indeed that even in. those electorates which now seem likely to go lo the Government the majorities will bo, turned in favour of the Government's opponents. This will certainly be the case if the electors of We districts referred ltb are alive to the, splendid op- ; portunity for a clean sweep and a thorough investigation which has been created by the result of the first ballots. Nothing succeeds like success, and many electors who have hitherto1 voted Government may be led to see that no good purpose is to be served by continuing tho practice. Under the most favourable conditions possible, Sir Joseph Ward will have to meet the House with the remnant of a Cabinet and a. sadly. weakened following. Tho cleverest member of the Executive, Sir John Findlay, is doomed to defeat, and two other Ministers are in parlors plight. Mr Buddo's extinction might not occasion the Prime Miniser much regret, 'but if Mr Millar goes down \to Mr Bedford—and it is quite on the cards that .he will —Sir Joseph Ward will indeed be a forlorn and hopeless chieftain. Clearly, then, the wisest ! policy so far as the country is concerned is to strengthen the ranks (f the victorious party so that its leaders j may be in a position to confidently: devote themselves to the work which so urgently requires to be done.