COALITION-NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 4, 16 January 1942, Page 4

COALITION-NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

restrict nominees to elected representatives. Mr Churchill wisely departed from precedent in going outside Parliament for a nominee. Canada, Australia and South Africa have not considered coalition. Even Britain decided on a coalition only because the previous administration was out of favour with its own party. If the advocates of a coalition really desired unity they should come out with a democratic proposition that would be an improvement on the past, not a re-arrangement of the plums of office between the "Ins" and the "Outs." Yours etc., DEMOS.

Sir, —The suggestion of a Coalition Government in New Zealand ten put out looks; quite all; riglißn theory, but it does not necessarily mean that it will gain the confidence of all sections of the community. The last Coalition Government in New Zealand was formed by an agreement between the two major parties, in which the leader of each party selected alternatively a member to take an executive position in. the Cabinet. Is that any more democratic than our present Cabinet? Was it a truly democratic action of Mr Churchill in his selection of a ■ Cabinet? The only truly democratic Government must be one elected by the people. Why not a Cabinet electeddirectly by the people, as we- elect our Mayor, or if not by ofur Parliamentary representatives, and why.