The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11, 1946 THE POLITICAL STAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 61, 11 December 1946, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11, 1946 THE POLITICAL STAGE

»■ PUBLIC attention focusses upon the Political stage of New Zealand following the final counts announced last Monday. Apart from the four Maori representatives, the parties are nearly balanced. The prospects of the new Parliament running the full course of its three year term are slight and any acute development may mean a return to the people for a more definite mandate of authority. However the position at the present time shows Labour returned to power with the Maori M.P.s holding the balance and therefore deciding the issue if. they so desire, in the deliberations of the future. The new set up will definitely have a restraining effect upon the passing of any extreme legislation, and from the point of view of those who feared a steady march to socialisation, is highly satisfactory. It has not however delivered the Government from any of its burdens—rather the reverse, for under the increased barrage of opposition criticism, it must carry forward its pledged policy of social service and high taxation irrespective of its limited majority, Today for the first time since 1935, the electors of the Dominion are evenly divided. The most significant feature of the election was of course the increased National Vote and the closely contested constituencies which have in the jDast been regarded as solidly Labour. One thing is clear and that the changing of political thought is on a rising tide and it remains to be seen whether or not it has reached its spring. We can look forward to.immediate repercussions as far as the Maor voice in Parliament is concerned. Our Maori M.P.s now speak for 100,000 of their countrymen and within a decade there is every reason to believe that this figure will be substantially increased. The voice of the Maori in our Legislature will be heard to much greater effect -hr the future and. it will be interesting to note what this new attitude of deference will breed. We can be thankful for the fact that the policy of past Governments has been to accord the native population of the Dominion, equal rights with its Pakeha neighbours. This wise measure has brought its own reward in the confidence and assurance it has given the Maori race, and has lifted them high above all other native peoples. For this reason alone we can regard the balance of power in our new Parliament with equanimity and possibly in the light of an interesting experiment which will

put our Maori friends to the test as patriots and as legislators.