WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1928, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

REFORM CAUCUS. INTERESTS OF COUNTRY FIRST. (Special to “ Guardian ”.) \Y ELLINGTON, November 29. Hie caucus ol the Reform Party held yesterday was by no means a. gloomy or a disgruntled gathering. There were no complaints and no recriminations. I he Prime Minister reiterated his very proper slogan “ Country first and party afterwards ” and it was warmly emphasized by his followers. “It was not the question of party advantage which actuated the minds of our members at the present time,” lie said, “lmt rather the course of duty likely to be in tin l interests of the general welfare of the Dominion.” Nothing could have been more admirable in the circumstances. Representatives of the Press are no admitted to such gatherings, hut it is salfe to say that the members of the party present, while wholly approvin'.' of the action of the Prime Minister in appealing to Parliament to settle the intricacies of the political situation, lmd no desire to participate in another election just yet. The general opinion was that the electors themselves would resent such a. proceeding until every reasonable means to establish a stable Government bad been exhausted. MAKESHIFT. Meanwhile irresponsible newspaper correspondents arc suggesting many ways by which the existing difficulties might be overcome. A correspondent of the “ Post ” writing over his own signature, which in itsell carries some weight, puts it to the Editor that Labour might be given an opportunity to '-:i'-"o the reins of Government with the curbing influence of both the other parties. “Is the time not opportune,” lie asks. “to allow the Labour Party to assume office and to have an Opposition that could defeat any measure that would tend in its opinion, to he against the interests of the country? A similar position arose in England, and as a result Air MacDonald became Premier, and only a ilortniglit ago your '•able messages contained a reference by Mr Raldwin to the splendid work lone at the Foreign Office by the La hour (Secretary for Foreign Affairs.” flie suggestion is made, apparently, in all seriousness ; but before its adoption .. : t might he wise to rescind a niinibei "of Orders-in-Council now in existence which would place Labour in many respects beyond the control of the other oarties. ELECTION RESULTS. Though clip final results of the gen oral election have been available for nenrlv a week the partisans continue t juggle with the figures in order tn magnify the 1 importance ol their re spectivc parties. The “ Dominion this morning, replying to a correspondent, states that “ the total Reiform vote in round figures was 270,000 and that of the United Party 22(5,000.” On another page it quotes from a leading article appearing in the Christchurch “ Press ” m which that journal, incidentally, makes a much bigger claim on behalf of Reform. ‘ 1 hose . Liberals,” it says, with a fine distain 'of the United Party, “propose that the -deader of a party whose popular vote Pj&s nearly 50,000 less than the Prime .Minister’s, whose representatives in the House are fewer than the Reform Party is entitled to rule the country unchecked by Parliament for half a year.” The “ Press ” goes on to do clare that the United Party won '‘onl> a third of the seats in Parliament, and “ will have slipped into office onl through the aid of the Socialists.” THE FIGURES. A more sober analysis of the official figures shows that both the “Dominion end the “ Press ” in their very natural desire to repair, as far as they may on paper, the fortunes of their political friends, have drawn somewhat extrain gantly upon their imaginations. 1 Indefinite party votes, excluding those cast for “ Independents,” gave Relorm ‘251 ~-H0 votes; United 215,978, and Labour 19(5,022. The Independent votes added to the definite Reform votes (those allotted to Messrs Harris, Lysiiar, Clark, McManaway, and Macalis ter) brought the Reform total up t 2(51,811. Similar additions to the United votes (Messrs Poison, Wilkin son. Smith, Hogan, Atmore and Goodgear) brought the United total up to 240.10(5. and similar additions to the Labour votes (Messrs Christopher and Turley and Mrs Young) brought the Labour vote up to 198,100. I* tom these figures it seems that the Reform vote exceeded the United vote by 27,178 and the United vote the Labour vote by 42,036. .