WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RESTLESS LABOR. PREPARING FOR NEXT ELECTION. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 14. The national executive of the New Zealand Labor Party is a restless body that does not allow the political grass to grow under its party feet. Its members are to meet here to-morrow to congratulate themselves upon the measure of success they achieved at the recent general election and to prepare for the next appeal to the constituencies. The Hon. J. T. Paul probably will preside and all the "pledged" Labor members of Parliament are expected to be present. These consist of Messrs D. G. Sullivan (Avon), J. McCombs (Lyttelton), P. Fraser (Wellington Central), H. E. Holland (Bulier), M. J. Savage (Auckland West), W. E. Parry (Auckland Central;, and E. J. Howard (Christchurch South), seven in all, who, doubtless, will add very considerably to the debating power of the House, and, it may be hoped, something to its wisdom. THE PARTY LEADER. Among the other business of to-mor-row' 3 meeting will be the election of a leader. The less impetuous section of the party had hoped for the success of the Hon. J. T. Paul at the polls and his accession to the position Mr. H. E. Holland filled in the last Parliament. But (i small majority of the electors of Dunedin South decreed otherwise, and it 6eems likely now Mr. Holland will retain the leadership, for which he obviously is not go well fitted temperamentally as are some of his younger colleagues. It is understood the proposal for the establishment of a daily newspaper also will be discussed at the meeting. This has been on the tapis for some time, and the attitude of the other parties' organs towards official Labor during the election campaign has brought it to a head.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. • Of course the executive of the party will express itself as highly gratified by the result of the election. And not without some reason. But a close examination of the polling must have opened the eyes of the party by this time to the fact that the large increase in the apparent number of its supporters was due in a great measure to the electors of the older parties casting their votes for Labor when a candidate of their own color was not standing. In Avon, for example, there was a very striking instance of what happened ail over the country. At the election of 1914 the Liberal candidate irf this constituency received 3612 votes, the Labor candidate 2569, arid the Reform candidate 2281, 'the total votes polled being 8442. At the recent election there was no serious Reform candidate, and the Liberal candidate, who had succeeded at the previous election, received 3420 votes, and the Labor candidate, who had been defeated, 5004, a total of 8424. The only comment necessary is that the Labor. Party would be deceiving itself if it took the figures at their face value.

THE NEW MEMBERS. Though the new members of the Labor Parliamentary Party are less impetuous and, perhaps, a little less militant than Mr. H. E. Holland and Mr. Robert Semple would have liked them to be, they are very earnest in their attachment to the policy to which they are pledged. Mr. D. G. Sullivan will be found one of the most capable representatives of Labor that yet has won a seat in the House. He is well read, well informed and well experienced; has tact as well as courage, and always plays the game. Mr. E. J. Howard is of a somewhat more volatile temperament than his colleague from Christchurch, but he knows what he wants and seeks it persistently, blessed ahvavs by the saving grace of humor. Mr. M. J. Savage and Mr. W. E. Parry are weightier men in years and in speech, but they are brimful of the energy that wins out and they will make themselves heard and felt iii the House.