The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, December 15, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1336, 15 December 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, December 1 5, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

“What’s the state of political parties?” Phis (question has been exercising the minds of the public since election day. Mr Massey is assured of a majority of 41 members against 39 representing the Opposition combine. There is no probability of a change in the Taumaranui or Dunedin Central seats. The Wairarapa seat remains as it was and the strength of parties is as follows ; Government 4i Opposition 3 2 Labour and S. Democrats 7 Partisans are still busy with calculations of the strength of parties in the country as a whole. The estimate of the Christchurch Press is : Reform 236,121 Liberal 211,860 Labour 46.813 The Press adds that as the Ward and Labour Parties pooled their votes in sixty-six electorates, a large proportion of the 211,860 votes credited to the Liberals must be Labour votes. It is also fair to assume, says the Post, that thousands of workers’ votes figure in the Reform total. The number registered tor Mr Massey shows that the old bogey of “Toryism” has lost its terrors for the general public in the greater part of New Zealand, though the word may be still potent in Canterbury. One knows not what any Government may do, but evidently very large numbers ot New masses who are not monopolists nor magnates —do not expect the Massey Party to legislate or ad-

minister against the interests of the average elector.

The Wellington Post, commenting on the election results, says that the parties of the measurable future will be Moderate Liberalism and Radicalism. Our contemporary goes on to say the Massey Party went to the country with a policy of Moderate Liberalism, and the great majority of the 236,121 votes recorded for that party would be fairly describable as Moderate Liberal, and the term Moderate Liberal also fairly fits most of Sir Joseph Ward’s supporters. The Grey Lynn result fs perhaps the most interesting of all and the most illuminating. Grey Lynn is the pointer of the times, for Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward to note. Mr Payne has absolutely nothing to commend him to Moderate Liberals, and be has much to make him repugnant to the average New Zealander. This Mr Payne is the self-same Mr Payne who spoke in Wellington a year ago in praise of the 1.W.W.” (the American Anarchist organisation of the “ Industrial Workers of the World”), which he described as “ The New Christianity.” Therefore, no vote for Mr Payne would be from any reasonable Liberal. The gain of Grey Lynn for an ultra-Socialist will encourage Labour to rely on similar successes in the future in triangular contests.

It would not surpiise us to see several of the prominent Moderate Liberals join the Government at no distant date. There is bound to be a clevage. If Sir Joseph Ward had been returned to power under the existing circumstances, it would have been impossible to placate the extremists on policy lines. The signs point to a further widening of the gap between the Radicals and Moderate Liberals.

Wk should not be surprised to learn that Mr Guthrie is given the portfolio of Education, thus relieving the Hon. Mr Allen of his overburdened load. The portfolios held by the Hon. Mr Fisher will no doubt be distributed. The Government will find a difficulty in finding a more efficient Whip than Mr Guthrie. »