GENERAL ELECTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1922, Page 3

GENERAL ELECTION.

REVISED FIGURES. ! a n:i.Kr.!<.*.i'ii--i’-?i: ■ anus a.ssoiu.uiwn t Waiiioirino- With ouu return to come, Lings tone 2771. Smith 1921, McLean 1036. Goldfinch 19-1. Hawkes Bay final - Mnekav 3903. Russell 3552. Chapman 955. . Kaugilikei filial Glenn 3806; Brady 2905; Montgomerie 673.Kaiapoi final Hon. J. (I. Coates 4887. ilbrnhlow 2474. MR MASSEY'S .■CO MAI<K XT.

ANOTHER KM’XTIOX POSSIBLE. WELLINGTON', Dec. 7. Mr Massey stated to-night: It is impossihle for me to say that the results of tin’ election have been satisfactory either to the Dominion or to the Government. The Party voting in several electorates has been very close and ire cannot say yet what the filial results will lie. in some instances the majorities have been under fifty, wliilo there are three or four hundred absent voters permits to come in. 11 seems to me that the results of the election show the necessity for a rreonstruction of the Parties. The tinea party system’eaiimit possibly lie satis-fne-L ry ill any case, and it is simply lolly tor the Liberals and Reformers to on fighting each other when so lar as jxdicy is concerned, there is little or nothing between them. I cannot predict what may happen when the Mouse'meeti, whether in the neat future, or in Juno next. All I can say is that those who have -worked with me in the pa 4 and who have had the good fortune to lie returned will em lmue to do our duty under imv circumstances that may arise. There are also several Mum hers who are suppose,] to belong to the Liberal camp wli<) are pledred to oppose any -eonibiuutioM Liberals and Socialist!*! Labour, hut I cannot say whether the business of Parliament e.m he satisfactorily carried on under such condition.*. It may lie necessary again to apj>'ea! to thu country, but there arc many forms and ceremonies to he •; no through before that can lake place. In the meantime, we must patiently wait and see what thu final figures are. Needless to say. i regret the disappearance from the new Parliament of the Speaker, and the Chairman of Committees, and others who have d me splendid work fur the Dominion during the last few years.

A ÜBEISAI.’ii VIEW'S. NELSON, Dec 8. Interviewed by ,i Nelson "Evening Mail” reporter. Mr It. Atmm-, Ir.ib--pciidciifc Liberal-Labour % M.P.. said: - “The present position is -our wha; complicated, but I believe there ;s nothing too complex about ii trim- 1 cannot be solved, if the members of the House will consider tlie people's interests. instead ol those of the parties." Sonin well-known figures, lie said, had disappeared from the political arvii".. but. from uiiat lie knew of the personnel of the new Parliament, he bolicveiil that a good working Parliament would result. Some of the Liberals bad lost their scats, notably Mr Sodden, through two Reform candidates standing, and thus taking thw seat from one who was an upholder of oioii.sbvtiol-ml mutliods. It was perfectly cKsar that Mr Massey and his party, unaided, could not mcry on. even if they had 40 members, as they would have to appoint a Speaker from their party, without they adopted a recent expedient from New i-Xn-l 1 ! Wales, where, tit an evenly balanced House the Speaker had been chosen from tITc ranks of the Opposition. Omi.ME.NTK ON SITUATION. PROBABLE SPEAKER. NPICIAL TO CtUAItniAN.

WELLINGTON. Dec 0. Larger or smaller groups of astonished voters continue to gather in front of figures remaining outside newspaper offices to discuss the Reform rebuff and the Labour advance at Thursday’s elections. ’Flic general opinion is that the results represent in a rough and ready fashion, the trend of political feeling throughout the country. The traditional desire ■ for change has prejudiced the Reformers and tint Government's necessary economic!! have helped Labour: The three local daily papers are frankly advounting a fusion of the Reform and- Liberal partus. The > “Post” is a little less emphatic than ! its morning contemporaries, on this point. It wants the Liberals not to fuse, but in effect to keep the Relorm- | ors in, and their policy out, by protecting them from the attacks of La-.j hour, and joining with Labour if uo-cc-s-arv in resisting their lugislatiou,. Tlio' Prime Minister and the l ender of the Liberal Opposition are not yet inclined to dismiss the effect-, of tlu disappparam c af the _ Govc.rnnunt s ovcrwliclnfing nwijority in the Htouse. Both are waiting developments. Mr 'Massey Inis made it- quite plain, however .that lie would consider any reasonable fusion proposal that seemed likelv to be in the interests ol the country. Mr Wilford has committed neither himself nor bis Party to any particular line of action, but In* siuiles a* the suggestion that there is no difference between the policies ol tin* two parties. “If that is so,” he says. • ‘Bet the Reformers take ours, ami wo will oomo in at once.” Though there still are a number ot scats in doubt, no changes materialli alKmting the position are expected. The latest reports make the Minister of Lands fairly safe for return, and represent the fate of the Minister ol Justice as banging in the balance. Much regret is boing expressed >u

all quarters at the defeat of the Speaker of the House. Sir Frederick I. had carried the confidence and regard of every member of Parliament, and thu positive affection of the ofli* dials about the buildings, and the members of the Press Gnftery. All J. A. Young, the member foil the new constitunecy °f Hamilton, who has long reprise nted .AVniknto in tho House is being mentioned as a probable successor to Sir Frederick. Mr Young is a most assiduous woikei with plenty of personalty and firmness for the position, and a thorough knowledge of the forms and usages of Parliament. , „ .. The great gulf b-Cvr-'u the Retoiinws and the Liberals is the question of electoral reform. Probably if Afr Massey could produce that promised substitute for the seeoml ballot he would much facilitate the way towards electoral reform^^ wmmmafm mmmmm