THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18402, 8 June 1925, Page 8

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

"THE PRICE OF FUSION"* MR WILFORD EXPLAINS. (SPECIAL TO "THX TBESS.") WELLINGTON, June 6. In making his proposal to the Prime Minister on Thursday for the setting up of a committee to discuss a practicable modus operandi, Mr Wilford declared that he neither desired nor would accept office if a~new party eventuated as a result of the fusion negotiations. Replying to this statement, Mr Hall Skelton, according to a Press Association message from Auckland, virtually challenged Mr Wilford to deny that he was accepting some ambassadorial post in Washington or the High 'Commissioners)) ip. Mr Wilford vehemently denied the suggestion in a statement made to a reporter this morning, as follows: "Mr Hall Skelton states that there is a rumour that I am accepting an ambassadorial post in America or the High Commissionerskip in England as the price for fusion. I wish to say in reply that neither of such positions has been offered to me in the event of fusion, or any other event, nor s have they been mentioned at all. .I am sure the Prime Minister and his Ministry will bear me out in this."

In regard to a question asked by Mr Skelton as to whether secret negotiations for a coalition had been in train for some time past, Mr Wilford stated that he believed all sorts of negotiations, if they could be called such, had been attempted in the direction of fusion for over three years. Chambers of Commerce, farmers' unions, the Welfare League, and some Reformers and Liberals in and out of Parliament had tried to get a common' ground for a junction of the two parties.

"As to the rest of Mr Skelton >* statement," he added, "I merely reply to it by saying that the same must convince all Liberals in New Zealand that the Auckland .Provincial Council of tho Liberal-Labour Federation did well ivhen it refused, with its local knowledge, to recommend that gentleman as Liberal-Labour candidate for Roskill."