HOW WILL THE VOTING GO ?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3459, 27 February 1912, Page 5

HOW WILL THE VOTING GO ?

THE POSITION SUMMARISED. WHAT THE POST THINKS. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Fob. 26. The Evening Post surveys the political situation! as follows; The political barometer is still unsettled. A telegram from Wanganui indicates that Mr Yeitoh will be required by his committee to fulfil his election pledge and vote for the Opposition on the No-confidence motion. In' the event of Mr Veitcb voting inutile Opposition Mr Atmore (Nelson) would hold the balance of power, it he voted for the Opposition Mr Massey would get a majority of two, and if he voted lor the Government the Ward Ministry would sec;.re •- tie, which Mr Speaker would, as slaking suggested, decide in favor of the existing order of things, leaving the Ward Government in the position of being dependent in a full v - only for security of Locuie on. .'!:<• Speaker’s casting vote. It has been stated that Air Atmor e has cast in Ins lot .with the Opposition, but the singular fact is thatneither side appears to be absolutely assured of the position, and it is freely stated in the lobbies that- w-v. it he did '-a:- ter the Opposition ric-i-.u-’ is not thereby assured. It is said that there is a member pledged to the Opposition who is seeking relief from his pledge and who would be willing to go with the Government" if he could see a reasonable way out of the difficulty in which he finds himself. All the while the Opposition is assured of victory on the Noconfidence motion, but there does not appear to be a general impression that the vote will be taken for a day or two at least. In the above forecast the Post evidently assumes that Air Robertson will break his. pledges and vote with the Government. He has been strongly tempted to do so, but there is not sufficient ground for believing that he will prove false to the electors. The probability therefore still is that Air Massey’s motion will be carried by a majority of four.