TARANAKI BY-ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1918, Page 8

TARANAKI BY-ELECTION.

' PRESS COMMENT. : (Lyttelton Times.) It is fairly apparent that Labor and the anti-Government forces polled their full strength; it is equally apparent that the section whose interest it is to support the Government failed in 'their duty, and that other electors allowed themselves to be influenced .'by the feeling that the loss of a seat would not ail'ect the Government's ...position, and that it was no part of tlheir business to : stand by the party compact.

(Manawatu Daily Times). Taranaki is a very different kind of a constituency to Wellington Central, and yet it has returned the same answer to the National Government. The Heform" flag has been lowered in the northern constituency and the red emblem has been hoisted in its stead. .... Mr Smith flew the Labor flag, but gave no indication of being an extremist. He read to us very much like a bread-ftid-butter politician, tlhe chief plank of whose platform was that he was "agin the Government" unequivocally out and out on all issues. And, as the majority of electors are, for various reasons, of the same mind just now his success is not surprising. A general election throughout New Zealand to-day would probably result in a debacle of the old brigades of both the existing parties, and if we read the portents right a general election is one | of the likeliest Wrings to arise out of i the coming session.

(Manawatu Standard.) The results of the by-election 3 certainly do not tend to confirm the belief that the Government is at" all popular with the masses. But what War Government ever was, or is? So many unpleasant things have to be done in the way of restricting the personal liberties of the subject, and increasing taxation, wfoile the trend of things is naturally in the direction of making living dearer, and of increasing the cost of almost everything that, in the days of peace, has come to bo looked upon as actually necessary to comfortable existence, that there is bound to be widespread discontent with the Government of ■ the day. Naturally its members come in for a good deal of abuse and misrepresentation at the hands of the extremists, who take advantage of tflie position to discount their efforts, and are not even fair-minded enough to give them credit for the good tilings they have done. The public is made to realise their shortcomings, and some of these are very real. But the question the electors nave to seriously consider and determine for t'liemselves is. would any Government that could have been formed have done better? At present it is impossible to see any alternative to the existing combination, other than a Government formed purely upon party lines, which would either have to fight the extremists or consent to be led by them. The country, under the Nation*.! Government, 'has been so signally prosperous that it has not begun to feel the real pinch of the war. But that prosperity is almost wholly due to the. war itself, and to the greatly increased prices New Zealand foodstuffs and produce are commanding in the Home markets, entry into w'liich has been assured lis by the Imperial authorities, wlho have not merely purchased the bulk of the produce, but have also provided the shipping to take it a>way.

(Eltham Argus.) The result, of the election plug the result of the Wellington Central contest, must have tlie effect of causing the National Government "furiously to think." One swallow, it is generally believed, does not make a summer; one lost election, or even two, does not necessarily mean the defeat of a Government, but two such results plainly indicate that not everything in the garden is lovely. Outside of the recent elections there are indications that it war-weary people are also getting weary of the National Government, and are desirous of a change. This Government has heen a taxing Government, it has laid Oieavy, though necessary, burdens upon the people. A Government that increases tarnation cannot escape opprobrium. Had any other Governmert been in power, either Liberal or Eeform, it would have had to impose heavy taxation to met the abnormal conditions of the Dominion. But people do not pause to consider that aspect of the question. Heavy taxation is almost as sure to bring about the fall of a Government as is the proverbial three bad harvests. When things are not running smoothly In the commercial and economic world a cliange of Government is looked upon as the radical remedy that is sure to cure all political ills. And when the people make up their minds that a change of Government is necessary they usually get it.