The Examiner, Published MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXV, Issue 4454, 19 January 1910, Page 2

The Examiner, Published MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19.

The centre of interest throughout the Empire at prethe sent is the progress

British of the general elecelections. |tions in the United Kingdom. So great is the interest that the South African papers were published on Sunday to give the returns of Saturday’s polls. Unlike New Zealand the elections in the United Kingdom extend over a a week, and so day by day fresh returns are coming in. It was wired through that both parties were “ elated ” at Saturday’s returns, which shows the possibility of being thankful for very small mercies. For though the Unionist party made substantial gain, they were nothing like sufficient to indicate the probability of a general win; while, on the other band, the Liberals lost ground, both in seats and majorities where they attained seats. To-morrow we ought to get the result ot the County polls, and all past history would lead to the expectation of substantial Unionist gains being made there. But present indications do not present any likelihood of the Unionist gain of 200 seats, which would be needed to give the party a working majority. Neither do they point to the Liberals having a clear majority over Unionists and Nationalists combined. So probability is that the latter party will hold the balance of power in the House. It does not look like a happy position for Mr Asquith. If he can claim endorsement for the Budget by the country, he cannot claim any enthusiastic jnandate to end the House of Lords, while it can claim warrant for refusing to commit hari-kari on the one hand to agree to any Home Rule bargain that the Ministry may make with the Nationalists on the other. But the wires for the mainder of this week will be watched with more than eager interest.