WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

TO-MORROW’S ELECTION. j THE EVE OF BATTLE. j SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, lice. G. There is not much that is new to suv or interesting to repeat concerning to-morrow’s contest. The idea that Mr Massey was going to have a much closer call than was generally expected a month ago continues to grow, but it seems to rest on man\ assumptions rather than on any precise information. The Prime Minister himself is frankly anxious, not as to the existence of the Government, but j as to the numerical strength of its i support. He would not attempt to hold . tliea Treasury Benches, so lie says, with a majority of two or three without some reliable assurance of assistance from the other side in case of necessity. The Liberal and Labour parties are confidently counting upon winning thirty-eight seats between them, and with one or two Independents in the House, Mr Massey would be in an extremely difficult position ii the anticipations of his rivals were realised. Mr Jsitt's vote and probably one or two others would be available from the other side in case of emergency; but the retention of office by the grace of his opponents would be intolerable to anv leader. FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE.

His presence being urgently needed elsewhere, Mr Massey wiis compelled to cancel his engagement to speak in Mr Wilford’s constituency to-niglit and so was saved from committing what sort of the old campaigners would have regarded as a breach of electioneering etiquette. What is of more immediate interest than the nice point raised by these gentlemen is that the Prime Minister is communicating his regrets to the electors of T-liitt commended to their favorable attention the example recently set them at Home. “T have confidence,’' he wrote, "in the good sense and patriotism of the electors, and I believe they will follow the example set them by the people of the United Kingdom in the recent election there.” The analogy obviously is an unhappy one. The people of the United Kingdom by a majority of three million voted the lately installed Conservative Government out of office, but, b\ the operation of the first past the post system of election, to which Mr Massey himself is so ardently devoted, the "ill of this huge majority was defeated and the Conservative Government remains in power. The suggestion is, of course, that the Prime Minister is hoping the same system may save the Reform Government here tomorrow.

REPROACHES FROM A FRIEND. The “Evening Post” whose robust independence invariably evaporates on the eve of a general election, has a friendly word or two to say to the Prime Minister on his manipulation 'of the electoral system. “The worst enemy of Labour,” it says, after commenting upon the vote-splitting going on in the Wellington constituencies, “must concede that it always played fair on this radical issue of a democratic vote, while the Government has broken its definite promise to provide a substitute for the second ballot. If Labour scored through the chances of a bystem it. has consistently condemned, Mr Massey and his colleagues would he entitled to personal sympathy, njjd might at last he induced to fulfil their promise.” The “Post” thinks it is “an absurd and indefensible system” that makes vote-split-ting possible, but it would not go to the length of turning the Government out of office on a question of electoral reform. Its zciil for proportional representation is of much the same quality as the Moderate League’s advocacy of State Control of the liquor traffic. THE LICENSING POLL.

Public interest in the election of members of Parliament lias been materially quickened by the prospect of a close contest between the contending parties, hut popular discussion still ranges mainly around the licensing -poll, and here the winner is even harder to pick than it is hi the; other case. The Anglican Church, having joined with the other churches is formally countenancing Prohibition, and many business men inspired by the example of the chairman of the Efficiency Board,, having thrown in their lot with the same side, that issue on paper, at any rate, seems to have a greater chance of suceens than it ever has had before. The Continuance people, however. have much the better organisation and have been pouring out money like water in maintenance of their point of view. The financial argument is their principal one and doubtless many electors w< II disposed towards the 'more drastic measure have been persuaded it would he better to postpone its introduction to a more convenient season. And so the balance hangs on the eve of the Intel ul d.i\.

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