CLOSENESS OF CONTEST

Chronicle (Levin), 28 November 1946, Page 5

CLOSENESS OF CONTEST

— Press Association

Prime Minister's Review LABOUR GIVEN MANDATE

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON^ Nov. 28. Thotigh tbe number of seats was Aill in doubt-, the figures available g-ave the Ghvermhent 43 and the Dpposition 37 seats, Which meant .he Government had lost one seat on the poSition of the parties at the and of the last Parliament, said the Prime Minister, Mr. FraSer. speak.ng late last night when the final ,-esult of the general election was known. The total votes cast gave the Labour Party a majority of over 30,000, which was very gratifying, said Mr. Fraser. One of the lhost pi'easiing features was that the votes .ast by servicemen in New Zealand and Japan were overwhelmingiy m favour of the Government. "in fact in 69 constituencies they gave -a majoriLy ro the Govemmenc, ana usualiy a substantial majority." «Mr. Fraser added that the Government would accept the mandate given very definitely by the people, and carry forward the programme iG had placed before them for still further instalments of social jusJce, ahd particularly its plans for rurther improvement and progress jf the country. While the majority vas not as iarge as Labour wouid i^Ve liked, it was a sufficient mandate to proceed with the programme of the Government.

Mr. Fraser thanked all who had worked for the party. Some grand stalwarts had gone down, but he believed it was only for the time oeing. The fact. that the Government, in the overall result, had lost jnly one seat was a notable achievement when it was consider3d that the Government had been in office for eleven years, six of which had been during a period when the country had been engaged in a long, trying and intensive war. Now that the electors had given .heir decision, he hoped the coun.ry as a whole would assist the Uovernment in the post-war period with its many varied and difficult jroblems. The Government would accept the full mandate of the people. It would control the councry's affairs for the next three years. It would carry out its programme and resist all attempts to ^xploit the post-war period by those \-ho would like to abolish stabilisaJon, and who wouid like prices ro /kyrocket as they had done in the Jnited States and elsewhere. The Government's policy would 3e to continue stabilisation, to con,rol currency, to continue guai'an - eed prices, secure high wages and 'easonable working conditions, and above all social security would be maintained and promoted. Mr. Fraser expressed gratification ^hat the electors had seen fit to teturn all Ministcrs of the Crown who had contested their seats.