The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 23, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1351, 23 January 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 23, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In a statement iracie to the press ibis week, Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, is ciedited with the pronouncement regarding the results of the elections : “I have seen the full official figures, and they show beyond all questions that the Opposition secured a very substantial majority of votes at the polls. Of the 515,501 votes polled, 272,025 were cast ior the Opposition and 243,476 for the Government, so that taking the whole country as one constituency, Ministers are now holding office with a minority of 28,549.” This statement was brought under the notice of the Prime Minister, who made the following observations on the point raised : “I have not had time to thoroughly analyse the figures as quoted by Sir Joseph Ward, but I gather that his contention is that the Reform Party is in a minority as compared with the total of the votes for the heterogeneous groups which at present make up the Parliamentary Opposition. Supposing such is the case, what then ? It is well known that in New Zealand there are some electorates which are much larger in population than others, and it just happens that in the former the different sections of the Opposition got most of their majorities, but the fact cannot be explained away that in the 76 European electorates a majority of Government supporters were declared elected—that is to say, 39 Government supporters were declared elected, as against 37 of their opponents. This is a small majority, it is true, but there are numbers of people in New Zealand to day, many ot whom did not vote for our candidates at the general elections, but who now wish to see our majority increased in order that there may be a strong stable Government to carry on the business of the country until the uext election comes, whether at the end of the three years or sooner. The people of New Zealand do not want a dissolution at present, but I am confident they would prefer that rather than seeing the destinies of this country committed, even for a little while, to such a combination as those who, with scarcely any other idea in common, are united to oppose the present Government. “One other point,” added Mr Massey, “remains to be noted. That is the remarkable growth of the Reform vote. In 190 S our vote was 126,733, in 1911 it had risen to 157,832, an increase of 31,099 votes, but in 1914 the total vote ot 243,476 showed a still further increase ot 80,644 votes, and I am quite confident it will show another substantial increase when the numbers go up on the next occasion.” Who hasn’t heard of “Ranji,” the once-famous auglo Indian cricketer ? Rauji, who is the Jam Sahib of Nawauagar. recently made a stirring speech in his Indian capital in respect to the present war. He said the call of duty had come to the feudatory allies, and on every man —high or low, rich or poor—in the present crisis, devolves the duty of discharging his obligations. England has, after an extremely strenuous, genuine, aud honourable effort for peace, taken up arms for the protection of. the liberties of smaller Stales as guaranteed by her along with others in 1870. Our duty is clear at this anxious time. Not that every man will be requisitioned to bear arms and fight: but eve-iy man can help in mitigatiug the effects of the war by continuing trade and commerce under normal conditions. You will be glad to know that I have placed the humble aud limited resources of my State at the disposal ot the Empire by my letter to the Agent of the Government. I have promised to raise and maintain a force of r,OOO able-bodied men to fight for the Empire, to give 200 horses and 15 motors, over aud above two squadrons of the Imperial Service Lancers. My last word of advice is that you should maintain your composure and quiet in this critically anxious period with a dignified confidence and faith in the cause for which the Empire is fighting, and which, I assure you, is one of liberty, justice, and honour.