THE LATE ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 150, 21 December 1911, Page 5

THE LATE ELECTION.

PRiEMIER WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ON FRIDAY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wednesday. Owing to the delay in receiving the final election returns, Sir Joseph Ward will n«t be in a position to make a statement "as to the course he intends : to take until Friday. STATE OF THE PARTIES. With the results of the Maori elections ' known, the state of the panties is as follow: Opposition jjj Government j''' 34 Independent ' ] 4 Labor " 4 Total members elected 80 . The Auckland Herald says in a lead- ' ' ing article: "It has been suggested th*t ' the Hon. O. Samuel, M.L.C., may be' promoted by Mr. Massey to the leadership of the Upper House, and, as tke Chamber is now constituted, he would •' apparently have only eight supporters ' to effect the passage of Governmentmeasures provocative of division on party lines. The Reform Party's •, strength in the Upper House.might be. •>, increased to give the necessary majority'-;* by the appointment of new Councillors. but it cannot be presumed that the Governor would accept the advice of the Ministry to adopt this course. It i'g therefore possible that the rejection ' of a policy measure by the Upper House might force a dissolution leading to a general election, at which the defeated measure would be one of the principal