POLITICAL SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2341, 24 December 1914, Page 6

POLITICAL SITUATION

GOVERNMENT LEADS . SURPRISE IN DUNEDIN CENTRAL MR. STATHAM ELECTED The aspect of the political situation was entirely changed yesterday afternoon by the news from Dunedin that Mr. C. E. Statham had won on the recount for Dunedin Central by 12 votes. This increases the Government party to 41 and reduces the Opposition parties to 39, so that Mr. Massey can claim 1 to have a majority of two in the House. As stated tnere is a fair chance of this majority boing increased to foui as a result of the recounts, or perhaps of an election petition in Hawke's Bay. On the other hand there would seem to be but little chance of any Reform members being unseated by similar proceedings. 1

If nothing unforeseen happens by which the Government majority is eliminated, it may be taken for granted that there will be no early session of Pailiament. The right of the Government to carry on until the ordinary dato for the summoning of Parliament could not be questioned so long as the Prime Minister had the support of a majority of members of the House. It is just possible that fresh doubts will now be expressed about the political colour of Mr. Tau Henare, the member for Northern Maori. In this connection it may bs repeated that Mr. Massey has no doubt whatever about Mr. Henare, and that the Opposition did not claim him as a Bupporter.in the official reckoning of the strength of their forces, as represented at the meeting on Tuesday. THE RECOUNTS WELLINGTON EAST. Following is the official return fof Wellington East;— A. K. Newman (R.) 4082 D. M'Laren (Lab.) 4014 ' Informal 64 Majority for Newman ... 48 I DUNEDIN CENTRAL. . Following were the figures for Dune* dm Central:— C. E. Statham (R.) 3744 J. W. Munro (Lab.) 8732 Majority for Statham ... 12 DUNEDIN CENTRAL RECOUNT MR. STATHAM 12 VOTES TO THE ■ GOOD. WHAT, A POLL CLERK'S MISTAKE MAY MEAN. (By Telegraph.—Press Areoctatlon.) ; # Dunedin, December 23. The oljcial recount of votes polled in the Dunedin Central election was completed \to-day, and the result was declared as fbilows:— C. E. Statfoani (R.) 3744 , J. W. Muri\ro (Lab.)' 3732 \, Majority fair Statham ... 12 Informal ...' 199

The official result a,s given by the Re« turning Officer wasV—Munro, 3799: Statham, 3791; informal,-78. It is understood that HS votes were invalidated through the error of one Deptity Returning Officer who marked the numbers openly on the back of the voting papers instead of on the counterfoil only, thus violating the secrecy of the ballot. Mr. Munro stated to-night that the fault occurred in the Caversham polling booth, where 116 voters j were disfranchised practically through the incompetency of a poll clerk. He stated that of these votes 69 were in favour of himself and 47 in favour of Mr. Statham. Mr.: Statham was now 12 voteß ahead, but if these voting papers had: been correctly issued he (air. Munro) would have had a majority of 10. A' meeting was being held to-night with a view to going into the position, and if they found the grounds for doing so, the necessary steps would be taken to invalidate the election. MR. STATHAM MAY fiESION. TO CONTEST A FRESH-ELECTION (By aWegrapti.—Press AssociAtSoiU ■' Dunedin, December 23. It is understood'that there is a po*» sibility that Mr. Statham, in view of . the circumstances which have arisen in, connection with the recount in Dunedin Central, may consider the question of resigning his seat for the purpose of contesting a fresh election. OHINEMUEI RECOUNT (By Telegraph .—Presa Association.) Auckland, December 23. The Magisterial recount in connection with the Ohinemuri election commences at Paeroa on December 29 befon Mr. Rawson, S.M. "