ELECTION NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2070, 20 December 1919, Page 3

ELECTION NOTES.

So passes Wardisin —dishonoured and umnourned. In contrast, the brilliant triumph of plain William Massey stands out in splendid relief. True to his trust in the darkest hours of the Empire’s peril, he proved himself a statesman and a patriot, and the country, recognising his worth, his sterling integrity, ami his tireless zeal for the people’s weal, has honoured him with a renewal of its unwavering confidence. Mr Massey will face (he new Parliament supported by a majority which will enable him to calmly and confidently sot about the performance of (he great tasks which lie ahead. — Wanganui Chronicle. ,

There will he 24 new members in the next Parliament. The old members who Avill he absent (unless the returns are altered on the recount) are as follow: —Defeated: Sir Joseph Ward, Sir James Carroll, Hon. 0. W. Russell, lion. I). If. Buddo, llon. J. B. Hine, Messrs Semple, Glover, Hornsby, Pearce (who withdrew his candidature after nominations closed), T. A. H. Field, Ell, Dickie. Talbot, Walker, Scott, An,s(ey and Thompson. Did not seek re-election': Sir William Fraser, Sir Jolm Findlay, Messrs Poole, Payne, G. H. Smith, ami Wilkinson. Died, and vacancy not previously filled; Mr J. Colvin.

That a party wliich went lo the country 33 strong, flushed with the hope of victory, should lose aol only half its men, hut three of its leaders, was about the last thing expected. The Liberal defeat lias been more decisive than that of the Reform Party in 1.905, when Air Scddon fairly swept the country, which continued him in office by the biggest majority he had held up till then. — P; 1 1 m erst on Standard. There appearlo be no fewer than 27 ejeelorales whose represenlalives secured only a minority of I:lie voles. Of these, to were won by the Reformers, 7 by the Liberals, 4 by Labour, add 1 by an Independent. ‘■Revolutionary Labour Ims not secured the position to which, as its Parliamentary Chairman frankly avowed, it huff aspired. It is not in a position to oust t tit* Reform Government and then to dictate terms to a Libera! Government unable to retain a majority without its support. Even with the aid of the Independents of every shade —most, if not all, of who!ii would repudiate .-.licit a suggestion as a gross insult —official Labour could not command a cabling vote in the new House." —Post. "While-Sir Joseph Ward was doing yeoman’s service for the Libera! cause throughmil the country, was exciting almost everywhere a personal enthusiasm wliich seemed to equal that which greeted. Mr Massey, he was necessarily neglecting his own constituency. The result is a defeat wliich the average elector outside the district had never contemplated as possible, and which we believe to he genuinely deplored today by a large majority of his political opponents. We to believe that the caprice of a single constituency will be allowed to deprive the Dominion permanently of liis services. In (he manly and dignified speech in which lie acknowledged his defeat, and. -which ultimately, by winning the plaudit's of a hostile crowd, did his audience almost as much honour as il did himself, Sir Joseph Ward magnanimously referred to the need for a si mug and wise government. But as a good parly man he knows that a necessary correlative under existing conditions is a strong and wisc!v-JU'd Opposition, and where can the Liberals find sueh leadership except in the man Avhom they were so eager to welcome back after his brief retirement in 101,2,” — Post..

There arc 32 seals hr the South Island and 48 in the North. I lie North Island relumed 32 Reformers. 9 Liberals, 4 Official Labour, and 3 Independent and Independent Labour. The South Island analysis is: Reform 10, Liberals 10, Official Labour 4, Independent, and Independent Labour 2. In percentages (omitting fractions) the figures are: North island: Reform. Off, Liberal 1.8, Labour 8, Independent and Independent Labour 0. South. Island; Reform off, Liberal 31, Labour 12, Independent and Labour Independent (i. In 1914 the North Island had 45 seal- and the Smith 35; and, alter the election the -late oi parties was: —-North Island: Ketorm 28, Liberal-14, Labour 1, Independent Labour 2. South Island: Reform 13, Liberal 19, Labour 3. In percentages’lhe figures were; —North 1s-

land; Reform (i2. Liberal 31, Labour 2.lndependent Labour 4. South Island: Reform 37, Liberal 54, Labour 8. "Take the three-cornered fights. In 'most of these the Liberal and Labour voles together —the aggregate Democratic vote, as a matter of fad— buried the Reform vote. But the Reformers got the seat every lime.' The plain coiidusiou is that the Reform majority in the House sits on a- minority vote. For the first time, that party has a working majority iu Parliament, and (hat majority represents a minority of the votes cast in the aggregate. There couhTTic no stronger condemnation of -the electoral system .of this country.’ —N.Z. Times. Among the hundreds of congratulatory messages received' by Mr •Massey is one from Mr W. H, Hugh-

Uie Australian Prime Minister: “Heartiest congratulations on.your splendid victory.” A typical telegram from a New Zealand friend is as follows; “Bravo, skipper. Thanks to your skilful navigation, the old ship has again reached port safely. Let the bo’sun forthwith pipe the watch below.”

A Post reporter interviewed Mr Wilford, ex-Minister in the National Government,. with reference to his Opinion as to the leadership of the party for the future. Mr Wilford stated, iu reply, that he had telegraphed to the Hon. W. D, S. MacDonald, who had acted as leader of the Liberal Party during Sir Joseph ’Ward’s absence from New Zealand, suggesting that .he (Mr MacDonald) should call a meeting of the Liberal Party in January next in order to discuss the position of electing a leader. Mr Wilford further stated that if Mr MacDonald consented to his suggestion, he (Mr Wilford) intended proposing Mr McDonald as leader of the Liberal Partv.