WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17984, 1 April 1930, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

POLITICAL PARTIES. POSSIBILITY OF DOWNFALL. (Times correspondent.) Mr Lloyd George, the leader .of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons at Home, is making better use of his opportunities than Mr 11. E. Holland, the leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives here is making of his. Both these gentlemen occupy commanding positions, ill Lloyd George -may wreck the Labour Party in the House of Commons; Mr Holland may wreck the United Party in the House of Representatives. The leader of the Liberal Party at Home has exacted his conditions, as was announced last week, by securing ffom Mr Ramsay MacDonald promise of an Electoral Bill during the life of the present Parliament; Mr Holland lias hesitated in making a similar demand, anci apparently is coquetting with a section of his party which prefers the system of election which leaves the result of the polling largely toj chance. The average politician, it seems, always clings to the system of election that has helped him best. Eight months’ Negotiations. It was as long ago as July last that Mr Ramsay MacDonald, under pressure from Mr Lloyd George, submitted to the Conservative and the Liberal leaders his proposed terms of reference for an inquiry into .electoral reform. These terms provided for (1) the abolition or retention of the present limited system of plural voting; (2) methods of voting, including the alternative vote, -the second ballot, and proportional representation; and (3) the use of party funds for the purpose of election campaigns. The third point obviously was a suggestion by Mr MacDonald, which should not have been introduced and certainly would not be discussed by the two other leaders. It is fairly safe to assume that during the interval the whole position has been considered by the party leaders, and that Mr Lloyd George has secured a large measure of his demand. If this is so even the New Zealand electors may be moved to demand their rights.