The Daily News. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1911. THE ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 140, 9 December 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1911. THE ELECTIONS.

The elections on Thursday did not go in favor of the Government. For the 70 European seats, only 47 have proved decisive, and for .the remainder second ballots will have to be taken next week. So far, honors lie with the opponents of the Government, who have gained 95 seats to the Liberals' 22. Analysis of the votes in connection with the second ballot seats shows that the Government will have difficulty in securing a majority. A feature of the position is the place Independents and Labnrites may occupy. Most of them have declared j their hostility to the Government and j | thuir intention of voting againjst them on a no-confidence moti'oii, though neither j arc much enamored of Mr. Massey and* his party. It appears as if they will be very much in the position the Irish Party occupy at present in the House of Commons, being able practically to declare what policy shall be pursued, and having the power of ending the Ministry should it incur their displeasure. It may be, of course, that the Opposition will gain enough of the second ballot seats to be independent of the other sections, but it is doubtful. The experience in England and Canada lately shows that the public like to go with the flowing tide, and for that reason we believe the Opposition are more likely to increase than decrease the lead they gained on Thursday. It is idle to speculate as to the causes of this change of opinion on the part of the electors. It is confined to no particular part of the country: it is general. This is the most disquieting part of the whole situation, from the Government point of view, and does not augur well for their success next week. Three of the Ministers are in danger of losing their seats. The At-torney-General's showing in the Parnell contest does not lead one to believe he will succeed in defeating the Independent arrayed against him in Mr. Dickson. Mr. T'uddo has an equally hard, row to hoe with his old antagonist. Mr. R. Moove, who should obtain a substaniril proportion of the vote cast for the

Independent candidate. Mr. Millar lias a chance of holding his own with Mr. H. D. Bedford, who got within three hundred Votes of him, but there is no certainty about it. A surprising feature of the elections is the size of the vote registered against the Premier in his own electorate, which has always in the past given him tremendous majorities, his margin this time being only 450. It is decisive enough, of course, but its reduction on his past majorities is not without significance. No party can carry on the Government of the country without a workable majority, and it is to be hoped that whichever side wins next Thursday will win substantially. The final figures will, it is certain, be awaited with even greater interest than Thursday's.