A DEADLOCK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 6

A DEADLOCK

THE RIVAL PARTIES EQUAL

WHAT MAY HAPPEN

REVIEW OP POSSIBILITIES

The political situation remains precisely as it was yesterday. Tho Prime Minister leads a united party of 40 members, while the Opposition is a composite party of 40 members. Doubts have been expressed as to whether Mr. Tau Henare, tho aiew member . for Northern Maori, is really a supporter of the Reform Party, but these doubts may. safely bo disregarded. At any rate, he showed his horror of the Opposition organiser by fleeing to the backwoods fastnesses of his electorate when he heard that ho was -likely to receive a visit from that gentleman. Bad Addition.

' Attempts have been made by. the "Liberal" Press to add up the rival tallies in some way or other to make the 40 in Opposition seem greater than the 40 of the other side. Sir Joseph

Ward has said: "The Government are now in an actual minority in the House as they> must necessarily appoint a Speaker." This specious argumenthas been taken up, and it is just possible that people unacquainted with Parliament and its methods may be deceived by it. "Liberal" newspapers have refrained from discussing or referring to other possibilities which might be favourable to the Massey Government. They have assumed that Mr. Massey will call Parliament together, and nominate a Speaker from his own party, in which case the voting strength of his party would bo 39 and that of the opposing sections 40. Mr. Massey would, they assume, be defeated on a no-confidence motion, whereupon he would be compelled to resign., Then Sir Joseph Ward would form a Ministry, with tho House 40—39 in his favour. But the newspapers aforementioned have, like Sir Joseph Ward, omitted to mention the possibility or the Speaker resigning after the fall of the Government which he, as a member elected' by his constituents, is pledged to support. They have also neglected to consider the chanoes of Mr. Massey resigning without meeting the House, and so placing. Sir Joseph Ward in exactly the same position as that in which he says Mr. Ma6sey now finds himself. They have not considered the possibility of certain member's on their own side voting to allow tho. Government to carry on rather than face another election at this period. _ They have not mentioned the, possibility of Mr. Mas6ey nominating' a Speaker from among his opponents, of whom he would doubtless find more than one willing in

existing circumstances to avoid plunging the country into another General Election. This course this followed by a Labour Government in New South Wales a couple of years ago. These possibilities may be mentioned to show that the position is not so easy • for Sir Joseph Ward as his statement might lead some people to suppose. _ But from whatever point of view the situation is viowed, it is obvious that Mr. Massey is not called upon to declare his .plans until all doubtful contests have- been decided. There are to bo recounts in. 1 AYellington East and Dunedin Central,, and a recount or some other kind of proceeding to test the validity of the Hawko's Bay election is almost a certainty. ■'■'■'. M.'iAn Unseen. Obstaole.r

: 'Au election early ill the' year, or at any rate before the Parliament dies by effluxion of time, seems at the moment to be by no means improbable. It is common knowledge that members of both parties have it in view, and are acting accordingly. One of the greatest obstacles in the way of a very early election may prove to be the amendment of the law relating to the Maori elections passed by the last Parliament. At present Maori elections are conducted upon more or less loose methods, and it was thought advisable that at least a roll should bo prepared for every Maori electorate. As the four electorates cover tho whole of the colony, and as a considerable number of the Maoris are almost nomadio in their habits, the compilation, of these rolls is likely to prove a very difficult task, a work that may even occupy many months.

"All the Members." All these things Sir. Joseph Ward will have to consider when he meets "all the members of the Liberal Party" (as tho notice of his invitation has been published in' Opposition journals) in Wellington on Tuesday: Whether "all the members" includes defeated candidates has not been made clear. Perhaps it is worthy of mention in this connection that Mr. A. H. Atmoro, defeated Wardißt candidate for Nelson, was in town yesterday. Official Returns.' Daily the Chief Electoral Officer is receiving from returning officers the results of their official counts. In most cases the returns are entirely without interest as" the seats never nave been in doubt, Hereunder are two lately, received returns from constituencies re. garded as doubtful:— TAUMARUNUI. W. T. Jennings (0.) ... 4012 0. K. Wilson (R.) 3808 A. Shorthand (I.O.) ...... 37 Majority for Jennings ... 208 HAWKE'S BAY. R. M'Nab' (0.) ............ 4225 H.. M. Campbell (R.) ... 4216 Majority for" M'Nab ... 9 Reward ol Magnanimity. In the course of his election campaign it was reported that Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby had complained about alleged victimisation by the Massey Government in being robbed of a minor official position of 'mean emoluments because ho had stood as-an Opposition candidate. The facts were that Mr. Hornsby was Coroner for a portion of the Wairarapa district, and when he conducted inquests he received fees. This made him ineligible for election as a member of Parliament, and of this the Minister of Justice advised him. On receipt of the advice Mr. Hornsby re-' signed from the position of.' Coroner. If- he had not resigned, as presumably he would not unless ho had been advised as to what the law on the question was, his election could now have been upset.

WESTERN MAORI. The following is tho final and offloial return of the voting in the Western Maori electorate:— Maui Pomare (R.) 8416 Hema Ropata to Ao ... 1309 Fapene Eketone 1074 Tuwhakaririka Patena 125 Rangi Mawhoto 703 Hori Tiro Paora 166 RECOUNT FOR THE EAST SEAT An application was heard before Mr. W. 6. Riddoll, Stipendiary Magistrate, yesterday from Mr. D. M'Laren, the defeated candidate for Wellington East, for a recount of tho recent poll in that electorate. A deposio of £20 has been .made, and the recount granted under Section 147 of tho Legislature Act, Tho recount is to take placo at on Tuesday next at the Magis-

trate's Court, before Mr. It. P. Ward., • ,' clerk of the court, the offioer appointed by the Magistrate for the purpose In the official result, Dr. A. K. Newman, Reform candidate, defeated Mr. M'Lareu (Labour) by 87 votes. THE CASE OP THE HON T. THOMPSON . (fly TeleETanl.—Presa Association.) Auckland, December 18. It has been stated that the position of the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher is analagous to that of the Hon. T. Thompson, when tho latter retired from the Seddon Ministry, a statement having been made that Mr. Thompson "held office for 36 days after his defeat at the L ' polls." Mr. Thompson explains that his retirement ! w;»b not due to "defeat. J He was one of the members for Auckland City, but he was not a candidate .- for re-olection at the election of 1899. At tho request of_ the Premier, he retained his portfolio until the_ appointment of his successor, retiring from office in February, 1900. RETURN OF THE WRITS , To-day was the date fixed for thti return of the writs, and the Chief • \ Electoral Officer stated yesterday that from all except four electorates he. had , either received the writs or had re- , ceived advice that they had been posted. In three West Coast electorates, howt ever, Grey, Buller, and Motueka, floods , had delayed the mails arid the return- , ing officers had not yet received the . ballot papers from the outlying booths. [ He had been obliged to grant an ex- . tension of time to December 30 in these , districts.

In Gisborne, a widely scattered electorate, where mail services are uncertain, similar delay had occurred, and he had likewise granted an extension there. Extensions of time were being •granted also in those electorates where recounts were being token.