NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16429, 24 January 1919, Page 6

NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

A "WELLINGTON MOVEMENT. (SrECIAI, XO "THE TRESS.") "WELLINGTON, Januarv 23. Yet another attempt- is being made in "Wellington to form a now party. Some months ago a coterie of men had somo meetings and formulated a policy but they liavo yet a membership of only about forty, and not 0110 of tho forty would bo considered as a man of any weight. This other attompt seems, to bo something a little moro ambitious but it will ijo surprising if arything comes of it. They have drafted a platform which is radical ill character, but it docs not contain ft now idea, and oven the old phraseology is kept in, dealing with such matters as land, finance, education, and industry. Tho platform is of almost oracular vagueness. If reports r.ro true, for the present none or the precious documents is in circulation, and tho organisation has met only in cauiora. It appears that some three or four people concoived tiio idoa of getting a meeting by invitation, and £011:0 of those who canto along did so under a misapprehension as to tho character and purpose of Iho meeting. They agreed with very little of what was being said, and most of them took no part in tho proceedings. Sr.mo of tlioso present did venturo tho suggestion that instead of splitting votes further by the formation of a now party, an endeavour should bo mudo to unite tho other two parties, but the reply was that both Mr Massey and Sir Joseph. Ward's parties wero moribund. There is a strong enough feeling in Wellington among members of both nartioi: that union is necessary if the Bolshevists are to be beaten as decisively as thov ought to bo at next elections, but the pooplo who think like this would be the last to join any new organisation with a rough-hewn constituti«"h. The new party, by tho way, thinks of calling itself the "National Democratic Party."