WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1922, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE NEW HOUSE OF . - REPRE3 EN T,\ TTY ES. j COAIPOSITION PRACTICALLY sum, ED. | SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON. Doc. 15. ! The composition of the new House of Representatives is now practically J settled, only the Wnitomo seat, remain- j inn in doubt, and this appearing likely to fall to Mr .1. G. Rolleston. the Reform candidate, by a very narrow majority. On the assumption that this will bo the case, the local newspapers are placing tho Government in a minority of four, 38 Reformers being arrayed on one side and ‘25 Liberals and 17 Labourites on the other. For some not very obvious reason those Liberals. variously estimated at from two to seven, who have specifically pledged themselves not to assist the Labourites in voting tbo Government out of office or in gaining the balance of power, are placed in a class by themselves and .styled “Independents.’’ As a. matter of fact, however, all the Liberals are in this position. being bound by promises, expressed or implied, to assist the Reformers in keeping the extreme Labourites at bay. But iL does not follow that any of 'them need cross the floor of the House for the purpose ol giving the Government “stability.”

PROSPECTS OF ANOTHER ELECTION. The local papers continue to urge, as Air Holland, the present leader of the Labour Party, does, that the only alternative to a definite coalition between the Reform and Literal parties is a dissolution and another apixal to the electors. “Assuming that Air Wilford and his supporters meant to live up- to their election pronouncements,” a summary of a statement made by Air Holland, the other day runs, “there did not seem anything for it hut. on tim one hand, a coalition between either the whole or a section of the Liberals, and the Government Party, or on the other hand, a fresh election.” Of <•onr.se either of these solutions would suit Air Holland very well. A coalition between the Reform and Lilmral parties, without any ol the necessities for such a. step as existed during the war, would mean an immediate transfer of a large number of votes from Liberalism to Labour, and an early accession, of kudos and strength on the* part of Air Holland and liis friends. Another election would produce little change in the representation of tli* parti;* and probably would have the present problem unsolved. CROSSING THE FLOOR. The proposal that a. certain number of Liberals should “go over” to the Reformers to enable tlie* Government to “carry on” with some measure of comfort and conlidenee is still the newspapers’ method of uiirnvt Ring the tangle, “ft looks,” the “Post” says, “as though the Liberal leaders must either come to some arrangement with the Government, or submit to the detachment and estrangement of some, of their followers and sympathisers. Iho emergency is .one which demands a broad-minded patriotism on the part of the leaders just a* ilenrlv as did the needs of the war." The evening journal leaves tliii question somewhat, in the air .but the opinion that the Liberals. in exchange for a definite measure rf ch ctor.il reform, should give the Governmon! assistance in repelling the attacks of extreme Labour continues to grow. Kv. a tliis would o--11 singe from them a certain number of votes, hut it is recognised this is a time for ’both personal and party sacrifices. Air Alassey has determined to call Parliament together early in the New Year, probably during (lie lii-st- week in Fcibruary, and in the interval more light may lie thrown on the situation. PRODUCERS AND POLITICS.

AL AA’. J. Poison, the Dominion President of the Farmers’ Union, looks upon the position as one for gram concern and in the course of a published interview dismissed most of the suggestions that have been made for its improvement either as unsatisfactory or impracticable. He regards the suggestion for a working arrangeim ut between the Liberal Party and the Reform Party as least desirable, from n farmers’ point of view, of the remedies that have been proposed. “The effort of this,” lie savs, “would indubitably he to make Labour the Offi- • eial Opposition, with the consequence that tlio Liberal Party, which is the proper alternative, from the point of view of the producers, to the Reform Party, would soon, cease to be a political factor and so disappear. Labour would then, sooner or later, obtain the opportunity to apply Socialism and Sovietism to this country.” The view that the Liberal Party is required as a -.u-t of safety-valve is shared by many business mini here, who realise the futility of attempting to do away with the three party system, and the general opinion is that tlio best hope of a satisfactory settlement lies in frank negotiations between the two older parties.