WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

(Special to)" Guardian.”) ApMt&UMK UliPpY, LABOUR'S BEARING. WELLINGTON, June 2!)'. Though still a shocking waste of time, as it always must be, tj'e Ad-dress-in-Reply debate is proceeding m.oro cheerily than usual this year, !()auks largely to the members of the iJrbdur Party, who, without having a, monopoly of 'tho debating power >oE the House, proportionately are m,uch better equipped in th.ig respect t)ian are the members of either of the other,parties. AJsvH, K», Holland, "C\y, the leader o£ Mis Majesty’s Opposition, is bearing his increased responsibili-: ties with becoming-restraint and dignity. Just what his purpose is in. proposing “want of confidence” motions

at this stage of the session is not very, obvious, but presumably lie. wishes to drive the Reformers, Nationalists and • Liberals into one-camp and,thus force a return to the two party system. Labouy, has prptited so much from dissensions among its opponents, however, that it is not easy to follow its ■argument that, from, the,ir, union it is going to gain still more. Rut probably the members of His Majesty's Opposition know, their own, business best, and it has to be admitted that so far > hey have filled t’-‘" • rile with very considerable . R/FFORAFS LEFT-WING.

Tt is becoming more and more, evident in the House licit the Reform Party Ims a “Left Wing” and that it is likely to assort itself oil occasions as tho session progresses. Mr F. Lvsnar, for instance, maintains a bitter personal enmity, towards the Hon. W. Nosworthy, the Postmaster-General, who lias gained additional kudos by refusing to bo ejected from tlie O.ibinot, and Mr V. TT. Potter, the loud voiced member for Ro.skill, still is resenting the “injustice” done to Miss Melviile in keeping her out of Parliament by the, Government endorsing Sir James Gtmson as the Reform candidate at the recent by-election in the Edon constituency. Mr Lysnar’s blustering is so. plainly- tlip fruit of personal- pique tß.it the member- for Gisborne is not likely to obtain much sympathy from any of the parties. Mr Potter, however, has presented a much stronger, ease against the Government in connection with the happenings l at Eden and it is difficult to see how it can be effectively answered. Thp member for Roslcill does bis bestto relieve the Prime Minister of responsibility in the matter, but as the final, choice-of. a candidate was referred to Mr Coates it to see how he can fr.ee himself from culpability. Women electors, at any. rate, will not be easily persuaded that tho endorsement of Sir. James Gunson’s candidature was the only course open to him. ELECTOR A L REFORM. The two Masons, the Labour member for Eden and the Reform member for Napier, were engaged, in a, little controversy. on Friday concerning the voting at tile general election in November last. Tlie member for Eden contended that tho Reformers were

holding office on a minority vote, sonic 815,000 votes having-been, cyst in theii favour and some 347,000 against them Tho, member for Napier did not contest his namesake’s figures, but he in sisted that if it could; be said; that t majority of-votes was cast against the R.cli ini Government, then it. could be truly, staid that an overwhelming ma ; jority was east against the Labour Party. Of course both these assertion? were <unmet as far as they went, but they did not by any means, exhaust y the vagaries of the present electoral system. Since the appearance of Labour as a separate entity in politics no party in this country has received a majority of the votes polled. At the election 'of 1,914 the Liberal-Labour eidubi'mitien lmd a. majority of some S 40,030 ill l the constituencies and a .minority of tw.o in, the- House, and sifice then no. Government has held office by tlie express will of a majority •, oil the electors. The two Masons would l:c better employed, in. repairing the pll jrit system of election than in , juggling with the results it produces. LICENSING AN.IA GAMBLING. Tt is expected tllit these two questions will occupy a good deal of the time of, Parliament towards the end of the present session. They both were “ill the air” during the last election and though candidates were very chary ip expressing- any definite, view- in regard to thorn,, it is generally understood that “pri.ckpd, cards” show a majority of- members in favour of giving the Trade “greater security of, tenure” and the racing cliibp a-ntli newspapers various minor concessions, such ns the use of “double” totalisntors and the publication of dividends. The rt-w House, it .may be said; without implying any discredit,, is bv no means a. puritanical one, and with 'members, like Sir Joh*. Luke and thr IT,on A. 11, Wright pledged to a- “moderate” policy in such affairs, it is not likely the Government 'vill be seriously hampered in “extending, the liberties of the subject.’’ One of the suggestions made by tins Prime Minister d.nriiigthe election campaign, in a tentative -sort of way, was-that the time between the licensing polls should be extended and that country hotels, with a view to improving- this cljass of accommodation J should be specially, considered. There is no indication here that tlie Prohibition people are on the alert, hut no doubt they will be represented by a fairly strong contingent in the House, whose main efforts will be directed against the longer period between tlie licensing polls.