THE GAINS AND LOSSES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1312, 15 December 1911, Page 6

THE GAINS AND LOSSES.

Yesterday we used ono of DpNewman's phrases when we said that it was "tho day of liberation" —of liberation from the evils of boss government in its worst form, namely, boss government in a. healthy, democratic, but for many years woefully misled, unit of the Empire. It is onlv when the details arc regarded that one can understand the full weight of tho blow that the nation has struck for liberation from Wardism—for the freedom of true Liberalism. There is a danger that the public's knowledge of the certain end of AVardism may for a moment lead to forgetfulness of the full meaning of what has happened. That Sir Joseph Ward, if he decides to advise the Governor to call Parliament together before resigning, may immediately find a majority oi from eight to ten against him on the first no-confidence motion that_ is proposed, is one way of describing the situation. But let lis look at the details. On the first ballot Wardism won two seats, but lost seven. Yesterday Sir Joseph Ward gained no thing. He lost seat after scat to the Heform and Labour candidates. On the first ballot he lost Messrs. Poole, E. Taylor, Greenslade, Jull (who to.ok tho place of Mr. Hall), Jennings, T. Y. Duncan; and Arnold. He gained only Mr. Dickie, who somehow contrived to defeat Mr. Hardy, and Mr. M'Callum. Yesterday- he lost Mr. Stallavorthy, his Hawke's Bay nominee, Mr. lloss, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Field, Mr.M'Laren, Mr. Luke, his Nelson nominee, and his Waitaki candidate—and also Mr. Fowlds and Sir John Findlay.

When we consider the personal side of the election, wc find little but 1 cause for rejoicing. The defeat of Messrs. Hardy, Wright, and Dive is a matter for regret, but the country will rejoice over the defeat of such men as Sin John Findlay, Mr. Fowi.ds, Mr. Poole, and, indeed, all the rest of the dependents upon the corrupt Administration now crushed by the people's voice. It is impossible not to sympathise with the really honest Liberals who stood in support of Wardism in the mistaken belief that it was Liberalism. They make, to be sure, only ,a small section of the beaten party, the party that has been blasted by the lightning that has flashed from the over-charged cloud of public anger. The new Parliament will consist mostly of Reformers, and Reformers who in every case have had against them an opposition their triumph over which is a guarantee of their worth.