WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

ELECTORAL REFORM, LABOUR’S ATTITUDE. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, Sept. A. Air H. E. Holland’s announcement at Dannevirke of the Labour Party’s hostility to tho Prime Minister’s Legislature Amendment Bill, which proposed proportional representation for the grouped city constituencies and preferential voting for the suburban and rural constituencies, was not unexpected. Tho flagrant defect of the measure is, of course, that it contemplates one method of representation for one-fifth of the electors and another method for tho other four-fifths. That such an arrangement would be prejudicial to the interests of the Labour Party there can be no doubt, since it would deprive the party of the advantage it obtains from the concentration ii' its voters in tho cities, and of the chance of securing an occasional seat in the country through vote-splitting by tho other parties. It is curious that butli Sir Joseph Ward and Air Massey should liavo propounded a system' which AL Holland aptly describes as “a political shandy gaff.” Sir Joseph did not persist with the system when its defects wero pointed out to him by' bis friends, but Air Massey evidently lias not been so easily discouraged. He probably is counting upon a sufficient number of Liberals voting with him to more than counter-balance tlio opposilon Ills proposal is likely to encounter in his own side of tlio House. NO ENTHUSIASAI. But as far as could bo gathered from members of the House who wero inclined to express an opinion of the Bill after it had been distributed last week it had aroused no great enthusiasm among any. of, the groups. The Reformers admittedly are divided in regard to its proposals, and if tho Bill is brought down at all it will be as a nonparty measure. The Liberals also are divided, though from a somewhat different standpoint. Tho majority of them are earnest supporters of proportional representation, but while one section is inclined to think it would be wise to accept the measure of reform in this direction proposed by AL .Massey, another section, and apparently the larger, shares the opinion expressed bv Air Holland, believing that piece-meal proportional representation would prejudice the iutersts of the Liberal Party as much as it would tho interests of the Labour Party. If this really is tho attitude of the respective parties towards the Bill, tlio Prime Minister, with his finger on the pulse of the House will he in no hurry to submit the measure to a vote. The feeling in oolitical eirels here is that no more will be heard of it in its present form. THE LABOUR PARTY.

The members of the Labour Party still are pluming themselves upon having helped tho Government through with tlio Dairy Produce Export Control Bill, and at tho same time provided themselves with a further precedent for their contemplated excursions into “nationalisation.” They certainly have very good reason to be well satisfied with the developments of the recent session. Nor have all the fruits of their labours yet been gathered. The Electoral Bill appears to bo as much at theii mercy as was tlio Dairy Bill. If they decide that preferential voting shall not go through tho House it will not go through. If they choose to join with the Liberals in pressing for universal proportional representation they even may institute that reform. The ptobabilities, are, of course, that the Prime Alinister seeing this peril ahead will not invito a trial of strength on this particular question, or, indeed, upon any question that might involve the existence of the Government. But ■ he signs of the times seem to indicate n . steady growth in tho strength of the Labour Party in tlio constituencies, and with Air Holland and Ins colleagues modifying their irresponsible talk of a year or two ago and obviously influencing the decisions of Parliament, one begins to wonder how far its policy of peaceful penetration is comg to rarrv the third pnrtv in the House. ‘butter and socialism. ]l lias been implied that Afr Holland’s appearance on the platform the; earlv in the recess is due to a belief on Hie part of the Labour Party that a dissolution is at hand and that the time is opportune for the prosecu■ion of a vigorous electioneering camnab'ii. But there certainly is nothing ia the attimle of the other political parties to suggest that they are expecting another appeal to the eonstitueni.jcs ill the near future. AL Massey is on bis wav to London and probably will pot be hack till after Christmas, while Air AYilford is about to start out on a tour of the Far East which will occupy three or four mouths at the least. Clearly neither the Prime .Minister nor the leader of the Opposition is expecting a dissolution in the near future. A more likely explanation of Air HoiPh activity is that wishing to see the Dairv Bill endorsed by the factory suppliers' he is anxious to keep m touch pith those gentlemen. He and Ins party have been much encouraged by the Government's acceptance ol t i,s step towards “nationalisation, as they term it. and it would be a sad blow to tlic*m to see it revorsod by the people immediately concerned. t