WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TEE POLITICAL BAROMETER UNSETTLED WEATHER. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, October 11. Well informed people here who have been watching the signs of the times are seeing much more significance in the return of Mr S. G. Smith, the Democratic Labor candidate, l'or the Taranaki seat in succession to Mr Okey, than they did Lii the.return of Mr P. R'aser, the Labor 'federation candidate, for the Wellington Central seat. Mr Fraser's success, tiiev contend, was mainly due to tins splendid organisation of h:s supporters and to the divisions and apathy among his opponents. Only a few more than half the electors on the roll took the trouble to record their votes and those that stayed away from the poll, almost without, exception, were cither Reformers nv liberals, the very people who were pktigcl by the truce"' to stand by the National Government in Its appeal to the constituency.

A SQUARE FIGHT. In Taranaki the position was quite different. The utmost effort was put forth on both sides. Ministers of the Crown and neighboring members of Parliament took an active personal part in the campaign on behalf of the Government candidate, while Socialists, Laborites, Democrats and unofficial Liberals forgot their quarrels for the time and made common cause in the interest of the independent. Labor candidate, iis a result 801 more votes were polled by the two candidates Uian were distributed over the- six* candidates ;n the Wellington Centra.! contest, and only 610 fewer than were polled in tho constituency at tlie general election of 19M v/lu-n the vot:i;j; reached high-water mark. It is obvious, the well in:'orme.:l people rotunlsin, that there was a good square fight between ice contacting views concerning tho merits of the National Government.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS, They are not so unanimous in accepting the Taranaki verdict as a reflection of the political feeling throughout the country. One section declares that tor some years past the constituency has been more Radical than its representation in Parliament and chat dissatisfaction over i : ho cost of living has been sufficient to tip the scale which Mr Okey's activity and personality kept inclining towards his own side. Another section declares that what has happened in Taranaki is going to happen all over the country at the i:e\t general election. This, it .s scar.-eiy necessary io say, is not always, or even generally, a case of the wish being father to ths thought,. Business men and other responsible pcop'e do not contemplate 'he prospect of the T.ahor Party being largely reinforced in .Parliament with much satisfaction, but many of them are putting it down among the possibilities of ■ the, future, , . 1

OFFICIAL NE\yS. " " ,aT

All the Ministers who could speak with any authority on tho subject being away from town—on a mission which by this time is pretty generally kncAvn—it is impossible to obtain from them any expression of opinion in regard to the result of the-recent by-elcc-tions. One effect of Mr Smith's return will be to extinguish the nominal majority of the Reform. Party, unless the return of an Independent for the Southern Maori district can be taken to compensate the party for the loss of the Taranaki seat, But; this is of little consequence. There is not likely to be any serious trial of party strength in the House during the life of the present Parliament. But there is a growing feeling that the disasters which have overtaken the National Government a*< three successive by-elections will incline both Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward to an appeal to tho constituencies soon as it can be tn»l« «rithout, prejuoking tlie vrs.r efforts.