POLITICAL SITUATION.
FORTUNES OF PARTIES. RESULTS AT PAST POLLS. WHAT THE FIGURES TELL. The turn of events of this year’s general election serves to show that under the three-party system the days of large, steady Parliamentary majorities are a thing of the past in New Zealand. It may 'be long, indeed, before any Government succeeds in anchoring itself so firmly as the Seddon Administration did for more than a decade. The changed trend can hardly be better shown than by a table of the state of parties after each general election from 1893 to the present: — Liberal Oppo- Oth-
The late Mr. Massey’s long tenure of office has always invited comparison with that of Mr. Seddon, but there is an important difference which is very apparent from the table, namely, that except from 1919 to 1922 he never had a comfortable majority. The computation shows the state of affairs which led Sir Joseph Ward to surrender the reins of Government to Sir Thomas Mackenzie in 1912, and through him to Mr. Massey later in that year. It also explains some extent the formation of the wartime National Cabinet, which would perhaps not have been necessary if Mr. Massey’s own followers had been more numerous.
Mr. Coates’ huge majority of 1925 invites comparison with that which Mr. Seddon secured in 1905, but whereas one was the culmination of a long series of political triumphs the other was a tribute paid in advance to a new leader. What figures will be added to the table in the next decade is an interesting speculation. Particularly, the student of politics will ask whether he may expect a reversion to the old two-party system, or whether the emergence of a Labour Party has produced a permanent double cleavage of political opinion in New Zealand.
sition ei's 1893 . . 52 (Seddon) 16 2 189(3 . . 41 (Seddon) 26 3 1899 .. 53 (Seddon) 16 1 1902 48 (Seddon) 19 3 1905 .. 56 (Seddon) 16 4 1908 .. 48 (Ward) 26 * 6 OthReform Lib. Lab ers. 1911 . 38 (Massey) 36 3 3 1914 . 40 (Massey) 3ll 8 1 1919 . 46 (Massey) 20 11 3 1922 . 38 (Massey) 22 17 3 1925 . 55 (iC'oates) 10 14 3 1928 . 29 (Coates) 26 19 6
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3873, 20 November 1928, Page 1
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371POLITICAL SITUATION. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3873, 20 November 1928, Page 1
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