WELLNGTONI NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1919, Page 1

WELLNGTONI NOTES.

(Our Special Correspondent)

“AN INEVITABLE UNION.”

THE RESULT OF INDEPENDENCE

WEI/I.INGION, Nov. 24

The “Dominion” which has resumed with easy grace and admirable {teal its old role of mouthpiece to the Reform Party, clings persistently to the comforting belief that a union between the Reformers and the Liberals is inevitable. “In spite of efforts in certain quarters to obscure national ‘ issues to bolster up party ends,” it says, “there arc promising indications that so tar as the two main parties are concerned artificial divisions arc collapsing and giving way.” It regards the declared “independence” of Mr Downie Stewart, of Dr Newman, of Mr Sta thorn, of Mr Parr and of half-a-dozen other former whole-hearted supporters of Mr Massey, not as a revolt against their party leader but as a chivalrous attempt to bring about another coalition - between the- best elements in the new Parliament. Mr Crnigie, Mr Witty and Mr Isitt, on the other, hancl, according to this authority, are “independent” because they “are conscious of shortcomings in the political organisation to which they have hitherto been tied.” It is scarcely a broad view to take of the situation, differentiating between the quality of the independence of the two parties, but it is significant in a measure of the political thought that is abroad in the capital city, just now. THE IMPELLING FORCE.

A fear is possessing the members of both the old parties that in the new Parliament the Reformers and the Li- | bowls will ho so evenly balanced that the Labour Party will hold the balance of power and be able to dictate terms to one side or the other, or, in the less i desirable eventuality, to ,put itself up to auction, as it were, for sale to the higher bidder. ’jTliis .is complimentary to neither M r Massey nor Sir Joseph Ward. The two leaders have stated their respective, polities in unusual detail and with commendable frankness. The Labour Party knows exactly .what it has to expect from them. The Holland party is given no hopes of concessions. The extremists regard Mr Massey' as the lesser of two evils, apparently because they think lie would give them more excuse than Sir Joseph Ward would for continuing their agitation for realising the workers’ millenium in a week, hut' beyond this they have no hope of making terms with cither of the old party leaders. Both the leaders have gone out of their way to make this perfectly plain, and one of the certain results of their candour is the final extinction of the Bolshevik element at the polls. THE OUTCOME. If the outcome of the approaching election should be similar to that of the election of 1914, neither of the old paities having a working majority, the only alternative to a fresh election within twelve months or less would be some arrangement between the Reformers and the Liberals to ensure stability. Mr Massey so far bas expressed no view of such an arrangement—though some of his supporters have credited him with a desire to get the best elements in the House together at any cost—-hut Sir Joseph Ward addressing his constituents the other clay declared he had an open mind on the matter and was prepared to deal with the circumstances as they arose. Independent Labour, which probably will come hack to the new Parliament stronger than ever before*, and which both the pld puities should welcome, is more likely than any other minority section to decide the occupancy of the Treasury Benches. Meanwhile the party organs here, the “Dominion” and the “Post” on one side and the “Times” on the other, are fighting tooth and nail for their accepted leaders, leaving no word unwritten that might discredit their opponents or, one would think, increase the difficulty of a rapprochement between the parties.