THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2489, 16 June 1915, Page 6

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

The final result of the Taumarunui election has yet to he learned, but it may be taken as practically certain that Mr. Jennings will retain the seat, which he won at the General Election. It seems probable that his majority will be reduced, and the supporters of the Government may perhaps derive some satisfaction from _ this, So far as tho general situation is concerned, the position of parties, assuming that Mk. Jennings has won the Taumarunui contest, is as follows:— Government 41 Wardists 38 Labour-Socialists 6 This means that Mr. Massey has a majority over Sir Joseph Ward of eight votes, but with the LabourSocialists added to the Wardists the Government majority is only two. Should the Government adopt the usual course and elect one of its own'Jjarty as Speaker, then its working majority for ordinary occasions will be one vote. It cannot be said that this position is as satisiactoiy as could be desired, but in existing circumstances the Government should bo ablo to carry on the business of the country without serious difficulty. Mr. Myers, and we belicvo one or two other members of the Opposition have made it clear that while the war is in progress they will assist the Government to tho best of their ability, and we have no doubt that there arc others who will rise to the occasion and placc the nation's interests before those of party. Mk. Massey's majority may be small, but it is a majority, and he has a united and compact following behind him. The alternative is Sir Joseph "\Vard with a party of 33 of his own supporters, backed by 0 Labour-Socialists—a minority in a House of 80 members. It is regrettable that Sir Joseph Ward should not have risen to the greatness of the occasion as Mr. Myers has done, but that cannot be helped now. There is one thing we would impress on the Prime Minister, and that ia that it is wholly undesirable during tho coming session to attempt any ambitious legislative programme affecting matters of purely domestic concern. It is generally known that the Government has a number of useful and progressive measures which it desires to place on the Statute Book, but those can well stand over for a more settled period. Such legislation as may have been necessitated by tlw war must, of course, be dealt with and disposed of, and adequate financial supplies ensured; but beyond these things only the most urgent questions should receive attention. The sooner the session is over the better from the point of view of enabling Ministers to concentrate their whole energies on the heavy administrative responsibilities resting on their shoulders as the outcome of the war.