The New Commons

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 680, 4 June 1929, Page 8

The New Commons

Personal and Political Strength THROUGH the haze of political sore heads aud diplomatic triumphs conies the reassuring thought that the results of the British General Elections have strengthened the establishment of democracy in England and infused strength and vigour into its polities. The cost of the elections was the highest for half a century, and the Treasury gained over £17,000 in lost deposits.

A LTIIOUGH the smoke of the battle has not yet cleared from the political horizon in the Old Country, some fascinating sidelights are already revealed. It is clear that, even if Mr. Baldwin had reconstructed his Cabinet to carry on the Government of the country, his return to the Treasury benches would not have been heralded by palm branches and hosannahs, for the election result was in effect the consummation of a growing chorus of disapproval by the people in the Conservative administrative policy. In the light of recent electioneering announcements, moreover, a curious political compromise would be necessary to prevent the Labour leader, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, from re-establishing himself at No. 10 Downing Street. Already the attenuation of Liberalism at Home is turned into a handy and effective weapon in determining the power of the new Government. This tantalising effect of the threeparty system of political administration, how ever, cannot be overcome until the final wash-up of election results is disposed of and Parliament sits toward the end of this month. STATE COLLECTS £17,000 The keenness with which the British Elections were contested is illustrated by the fact that approximately 80 per cent, of the registered electors voted. But even this enthusiasm cannot eclipse that of the New Zealand electors, about 90 per cent, of whom exercised their franchise privileges at the recent General Elections polls. One of the most notable sidelights upon the elections results is that 115 candidates lost their deposits of £l5O each—a much greater amount than the modest £lO required from a prospective politician in New Zealand—and the Treasury was swelled by over £17,000. Of this forfeit money the Labour Party, with 44 candidates, contributed £5,100, the Liberals paid £4,650 from 31 low-polling candidates, the Communists £3,150 from 21 disappointed aspirants, and the Conservatives £2,550 from those who polled badly, w'hile the remaining £I,BOO came from miscellaneous political nonentities. By singular irony one candidate lost his £l5O by three-quarters of a vote which was necessary to swell his total to the required percentage. The new House of Commons will have 130 new members to go through the uncertainties of Parliamentary procedure, six of whom are women. The greater majority of the stalwarts in all parties have been returned with

the confidence of their electors, -and some of the additions to the Parliameutary list have enhanced the association between, the House of Commons and some o£ the oldest families in Britain. Sir Austen Chamberlain returns with 39 years of continuous service to his credit, though his majority on this occasion performed a remarkable slump. Other names, now famed in the record of government, appear to be establishing lines of young political giants to fight the battle when the elders retire. The Prime Minister will be accompanied to the Commons by his son, Oliver Baldwin, a Socialist, who enters the House for the first time on a minority vote, but polling heavily -with 13,500 votes. The Liberal Leader, Mr. Lloyd George, sees on the same side of the House his daughter, Megan, and his son, Gwilym, both of whom also were elected on minority votes. Then the Labour Leader, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, welcomes his son to his side of the Commons, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald sweeping his electorate with a clear majority of over 7,000 votes. PERSONAL STRENGTH The three "Lloyd Georges polled between them 48,878 votes, the two MacDonalds received 59,296 votes, and the father and son of the Baldwin household secured 30,144 votes. The most notable feature of the whole elections is the strong personal representation secured by all parties, particularly oil the Labour side, where the choice of intellectuals possessed of sound Ideas necessary- to impress the hard-thinking British elector might yet prove a valued lesson for the New Zealand Labour Party at future elections. The long list of distinguished names, embracing economists, literary notables and public workers, aud with its generous sprinkling of the smart set, conveys its own conviction of the strength and character of the organisation. Estimates from Home indicate that the full direct expenditure permissible by law was incurred at the elections, something like two and a-half millions having been sunk in the expenses of the three parties and the individual candidates, and the full sixpence a head of his electors having been spent by each candidate. Happily for a few, no election fight was necessary. In fact, Mr. T. P. O'Connor, the veteran politician" of the House of Commons, who has been in Parliament since 1885, has frequently escaped a General Election with no more expense than his car hire to go down to see the votes cast for his colleagues who had to fight for their places.