WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE PARTY TANGLE. NO MAJORITY. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, Dec ,3. Neither the Prime Minister nur the leader of the Liberal Opposition arc talking for . publication nbmi t!-. tangle into which' the general election lias landed the parties.- Air Massey, very naturally and very propcly, is waiting for the compl Hion of the returns before giving expression to bis views upon the j.ositi jii. Mr Wilford puts off inquiries with the reminder that it is the Prime Minister's trouble, not bis, and that it would be impertinent on his part to intrude. The local newspapers are not restrained by any diffidence of this kind. The “Post” is! for the adoption of the Isitt compactby the whole Liberal Party “The complicated position gives the Opposition leader,” it says, “a. rare opportunity for di.spla.ving the forbearance and tho patriotism which enabled the Liberals to join with the Reform Party in forming the National Cabinet during tho war. If Iks misses the (■bailee, some of bis followers may prefer Air Isitt’s lead to bis on this point.” The “Dominion” urges the same course even more fervently.

“They are divided,” it says of the Reform and Liberal parties, “by no essential difference in principle, and there is no reason why they should not enter into a permanent fusion.” STILL MR, MASSEY’S JOB. Air Wilford was interviewed tins morning to ascertain if those appeals would induce him to break his silence. “They arc not addressed to me,” he said promptly, “the papers know perfectly well this is Air Alassey’s job. 1 have no reason to assume the Prime Minister wants my advice or assistance, and ho would scarcely thank me I’Or forcing them upon him.” .> I r Wilford would not pursue the subject further. He. like All- Massey, was waiting for the completion of the returns; but, unlike Air Alassey, be bail not to dccido what was to be done with them. The Liberal leader, however, was quite ready to talk of the incidents of the election campaign. He bad enjoyed himself immensely—all at bis own expense, be mentioned incidentally—and had made many new friends and bad met many good fellows among bis opponents. Ceaseless travelling and sleepless nights have given zest, to the adventure and the cordial hospitality lie bad received everywhere was a tiling to be remembered. Though the results were 2 or 3 seats short of what he had expected, the results were well worth while, and no one need say again that the Lilao-al Party was dead. AN UNGENEROUS VICTOR.

An ill-dent, though unattached, supporter of the Labour Party, who was approached to-day lor his opinion of its part in the contest, promptly produced a culling from the ‘-Post” purporting to bo a report of wliai Mr 11. A. Wright had -aid from tho luLvkpaper platforms alter his return for Wellington Suburbs appear: d assured. “The time is coming,” Air Wright is reported as shouting back to a noisy crowd, “when the Labour union bos-is will be drummed out oi New Zealand. The trade union agitator is going out. Here you have an example of what Labour “freedom” means; hero you have an example of free speech that extreme Labour clamours for. prates so -much about. They don’t like defeat but they have got to take it." Mr Wright speaking I nun another platform earlier m the evening had added to hi.s angry t:»i v.ts Lno as-

sertion that a majoriiy of the members of tho new I’arliamc lit would cooperate to bring about the expulsion of the mischief-makers from tho Doiaion. The comment of Hu sympathiser with tho third party's aspirations was that when cultured Reform was

moved to sheer abuse Labour must be making some progress. RETURN TO SANITY. Rumours wore floating about during the last session of Parliament to the effect that the Labour Party, then eonsistingof nine members, was not unanimous in approving of the leadership of Mr H. E. Holland. At least two of them 1 had expressed, more or less, openly, the opinion that Air Holland’s extravagant language and aggressive methods had brought the party into conflict with tlie people outside the House who otherwise would have been in sympathy with the Labour movement. At first sight it would appear as if last week’s polling had shown this view to ho incorrect. But though the Labour Party has nearly doubled its representation in the new House, it has done so on a smaller vote than it recorded throe years ago. Moreover the eight additional members contain several Labour men who will not go to the length Air Holland and Air Peter Fraser would lead them. They do not subscribe to the extreme doctrines of the present leaders and they take the broad view that a member’s duty is to tho whole of his constituents, not inertly to a section. The new Parliament will sou what it will see.