OFFICIAL OPPOSITION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3025, 20 April 1926, Page 2

OFFICIAL OPPOSITION.

LABOUR’S STRONGER CLAIM. THIRTEEN SEATS HELD. THE POSITION OF PARTIES. With the addition of one member to its strength in Parliament, the Labour Party will undoubtedly claim to be regarded as the official Opposition . At the general election Labour obtained 11 seats, but by the decision of the Electoral Court in March that the Lyttelton seat had been Avon by Mr. J. McCombs its membership rose to 12. Immediately after the decision it Avas asserted on behalf of the party that Labour Avas entitled to be the Opposition, on the ground that it held two more seats than the Nationalists. The state of parties now appears to be as follows, the figures for the late Parliament being given in parenthesis:—

The member classed as Liberal is Sir Joseph Ward, avlio was returned at the general election under that title, and has not so far announced that ho has joined.the ranks of any party. The Independent is the Hon. C. E. Statham, Speaker of the House for the past three years. The first duty of the new house will be to elect a Speaker, and it is therefore not certain, although probable that Mr. Statham will hold that office in the next Parliament. Labour based its claim in March on the assertion that not only Sir Joseph Ward, but also Mr. H. Atmore, member for Nelson, could not be regarded at Nationalists, leaving the National Party with 10 seats to Labour’s 12. In the general election contest Mr. Atmore was commonly regarded as a Nationalist, although last session he attended none of the party’s caucuses, and maintained an independent attitude on a number of questions.

Thus it appears that Labour can claim a majority over the Nationalists unless the House chooses a Speaker from the Government benches and the National Party gains the allegiance of both Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Statham, besides retaining that of Mr. Atmore. In such an event the two parties Avould tie, and presumably the Nationalists would hold their former Opposition status.

It is worthy of note, however, that in speeches during the past few days both (he Prime Minister and Mr. Holland stated that by winning the Eden seat Labour would become the Opposition.

Government 54 (38) Labour .. 13 (17) National ,. 11 (20) Liberal 1 Independent 1 (5)