THE MESSAGE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 8

THE MESSAGE

WHAT THE VICTORY MEANS. The Prime Minister had a little to say about the result of the election. "1 am naturally delighted'at the victory gained by the National Government candidate," said Mr. Massey. "Of course, I should have liked to havo had a bigger. majority, but I think that under the circumstances tho result is very good indeed. lam proud to see that Wellington North has been constant, has held to its old. traditions. What has' happened is an indication by the people of the country that thev are true to the policy of which they approved at the commencement of tho war, and that New Zealand through its Parliament and through its Government will continue to do iis share in the great struggle in which the Empire has been engaged. That is the message that will go out from the victory that has been gained. There were," as everyone knows, a number of sideissues introduced which had nothing to do with the actual question before the electors." arid which I feared at one stage of the contest might eo obscure the real issues as to prevent a clear answer being given to that main ques-

"I wish to take the opportunity of thanking Mr. Luke's supporters, and especially the members of his committee, ladies and gentlemen, both of the Reform and of the Liberal parties, who worked so hard to secure his majority.' They dnserved the success which has crowned their effoits.

'■I say that what has happened today and to-night will never lie forgotten by me, or by any other nuhlio man who has soon and understood what has been going on."

CONGRATULATIONS '

PARTY LEADERS SPEAK

Mi. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward met Mr. Luke's committee after the returns were out, and spoke a few words of thank! to them personally, and also olfered a remark or two about the importance of the battle won. Mr. Massoy was received with prolonged cheers. He extended his congratulations to Mr. Luke and rail his supporters there assembled. As head of the Government he above all others had been responsible for the choice of Mr. Luke as tho candidate to carry the banner of the National Government, and the result that night had justified his judgment. (Applause;) He was not going to boast, but . he thought ho was justified in saying that; He gave the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward) full credit for the position he had takon up in regard to this election, -and for coming forward and taking the platform beside him in support of tho candidature of Mr. Luke —(loud applause)—and for telling his friends of the Liberal Party what was their dutj. He sincerely hoped that there would not bo any more by-elec-tions before tho end of the war, but if there should ever occur a vncalicy in a. seat previously held by a supporter of Sir' Joseph Ward, then ho would do as much for Sir Joseph Ward as Sir Joseph Ward bad done for him in this fight. (Applause.) He thanked the ladies of Mr. Luke's committee- for the splendid work they had done in tho election campaign. He was quite sure that but for the good work they had done Mr. Luke would not have obtained tho majority he had obtained. During the past few weeks he had had his anxious moments as to what the result might be, because of the number cf side issues which wern then bring raised, and because of the fact that men who bad formerly fought together were divided into factions by these

side issues, bub iit any time that he felt gloomy he had only to go to Mi\ Luke's committee room to have his doubts removed. lie believed that there would bo hundreds of thousands of people in- this country who would throw up their hats when they received tho news on the following; morning of the Wetory that had been won 'in Wellington North. (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward was received with loud cheering when he stood forward to speak. Ho congratulated Mr. Luko upon having been returned by a substantial majority as a supporter of the National Government. The result, he considered, would bo very important to the whole of New Zealand. The course ho himself had followed as Leader of the Liberal Party, was tlio ( right one—(applause)—and it was the course that ho would follow on any future occasion, over one arise during the period of the war: Ho had a very strong feeling, which nothing could shako, so far as he was concerned, that there was only one course for the country to follow during this war, and it was to forget party politics. (Applause.) A voice: And after the war. Sir Joseph Ward: "Well, I say it for tho period of tho war. and I say it bocause I am impressed with the enormous responsibilities of the Parliament i of the country, and in a greater doareo of the members of the National Government in dealing with problems the like of which had never been seen before the war." Unless we are able successfully to carry on the government of the country during the war period, there must arise a much more serious condition of tilings for every class of tho community than is likely to arise if the people bury party politics, and allow the members of tho Government to the utmost of their ability to apply themselves wholly and determinedly to the task of carrying on New Zealand's share in tho war'. ... No Time for Weakening, "I want to say that tho result- of this election will do a great deal more Kood for New Zealand than. any of us hure can possibly imagine. It is to my mind beyond all question £nat if the National Government candidate had lost in this election it would have in tho minds of people beyond this country been considered an indication of a. weakening in tho people of New Zealand, and this would have been a sore thing for the . people of the Motherland, who need all'the co-opera-tion they can have at this time, on the eve of the greatest battles of the greatest war that' history will ever know." Sir Joseph AVard said he disagreed most strongly with the efforts to discount this phase of the election issue. He believed intensely that .if •this country, which had given the Mother Country most full support in the'war, were to have shown a sign of weakening, the effects might'have been far-reaching.

Me. J! Hutchoson and' Mr. H. F. von Haast also spoke a few word«. to the meeting. Mr. Massey said that Mr. von Haast had to bear a good deal of mud slinging in this contest, and he wished to lissure Mr. von Haast that the meeting., sympathised with him and strongly reprobated tho conduct of those responsible. Mr. von Haast referred to this matter in theso words: "I hope that this contest may have shown to my friends that 3 man may have a German name and a British heart." • . ■

MR POLSON LOSES DEPOSIT

Mr. A. N. Poison will forfeit the deposit he had to lodge wit! l , his nomination, having polled less than onefourth of the number of votes cast for the winning candidate. Mr. Poison's total was 720, and Mr. Luke won with 2986.