POLITICAL NOTES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14463, 30 November 1914, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

A resident bf Wellington closely cOnnectcd with the Labour movement', *llO lias devoted a great deal of time' to the studv of pollical conditions iti New Zealand, both past and present,-has come to the conclusion that the “Keform” party will ’lose at least 13 seats in the forth’ooming elections and the Liberals will have a majority of 18 or 20 in the new House. , ' : The sentiments of a southern paper: —“ln questions of wide Imperial'' interest, no less than in matters of local importance, Sir Joseph Ward stands out as a sfatesinhn beside "whom the Masseys, the Allens'and .the Fishers, appear little'' above the level of road board politicians.’ Mr Massey has loudly asserted his intention of “dealing, with the trusts.” He Had, not attempted to do so. ;The Colonial Sugar Company, recently put up tKfe price of sugar £3 5s in eight weeks by various stages. The net profits of the company last. year j amounted to the trifling sum of £256,360! Sweet, isn’t it? ; .V , ; “Ihavo come to the conclusion that people will say .anything at election, time,” saiu the Prime Minister recently, “especi>-. ally about the man who happens to be .Prime Minister, for the time bein<r.” It certainly seemed so three years ago. “We have increased, taxation,”-said Mr Massey at Christchurch on Tuesday night, ■‘-but. any increase has not been felt by the masses,”, i . ■ . ■ ■tyrt ..the,;: .electors, ..have, Mr . Massey’s own -assurance that “you cin impose what taxation yon. like,, but. it will al\vays .come, back, .to the rank and file of the.. peopled’ When he said that at Timarii, three years ago, he was referring ,to the. increases in death duties,-income tax .bank note tax and totalisator tax, and. he. said- that “the,cost of living would never be reduced until taxation was reduced.” • - . ■ . ■ •: