The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1931. THE VERDICT OF THE POLLS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1931. THE VERDICT OF THE POLLS.

The result of the general election yesterday would, on the whole, l>e a surprise to many of our readers'. The Coalition Government did not receive as generous support as was expected. Labour held its own in the cities, and has made additions to its ranks. The state of the parties, however, gives the Government a good working majority, but we bone . now that tlie new House is elected, that there will be a desire on the part of all parties to combine for the national good. It may be that it is something of an advantage to have the radical element well represented, because if the House were “National” in its intentions, criticism from that quarter would be helpful. The Labour party ■devotes too much time to' the preaching of class war. That lias helped Ih the centres. The employers ami workers in New Zealand ate really on a level, for we have no superior rich in the'ranks of the former. But the interests of New Zealand' call for unity of action at this time, because wnm world - conditions as they are, and markets depressed, the income of the Dominion is going tp be curtailed seriously. That means there must be more sacrifices made, and they could 1)0 made quicker and easier if the country were at one in Parliament. The Government is far from through with its task, and is in fact only at the beginning. If Labour is not disposed to help as it should at this time, of national crisis, one good thing might result, and that is the driving of. the United and Reform partres definitely into one party. That result seems to be almost inevitable- now, unless it is possible to create a- National Government composed of all panties in the House. The political fortunes of New Zealand are thus .not unlikely to change somewhat during the term of the new Parliament, and a realignment of the two parties referred to ts •not at all unlikely. In the circumstances that wcukl not be an unmixed evil. We have seen bow smoothly tne fusion has- worked in many constituencies, and the experience of the next- three years mi'gb.t,pause a more general desii-e to form one strong party of the two parties. referred to.