THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18403, 9 June 1925, Page 8

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

NEW LIBERAL PARTY.

A ROSKILL MOVEMENT.

(PEB33 ASSOCIATION TKLEOBAH.)

AUCKLAND, June 8,

Arising out of the recent assertion of independence by the Roskill branch of the Liberal-Labour Federation, a meeting was held to-night. The report supplied states that those present included representatives of all the Auckland city aud some of the rural electorates.

It was decided to form a new Liberal Party, and committees were appointed to" frame a policy and constitution and initiate other necessary departments of party organisation. The committees will report to a public meeting to be called shortly..

. FUSION PROPOSAL. CONFERENCE DETAILS. (PBSS3 ASSOCIATION TBLEQ&AM.) | WELLINGTON, June 8. The Prime Minister (Hon. J. G. Coates), in a letter to Mr T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) regarding a conference of members of! the Reform and Liberal Parties about fusion, suggests .June 18th as the date, and that there be four representatives from each side, but these not ,to include the leaders. MR H. E. HOLLAND'S VIEWS. (PHBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) GREYMOUTH, June 8. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., in a prosessional address to-night at Cobden, said the regrettable death of Mr Massey had created a new situation in politics audit was possible that an election might come at any time. One thing was certain, the two older Partieß wouid certainly effect ah amalgamation either before or immediately after the election. When ho spoke a defoated candidate on the night of the 1011 poll, he had declared that in di.-o time the Labour- Party would gather strength and drive the two old Parties into one camp and fight them for possession of the Treasury benches. That prophecy was now being verified. The Liberal Party had jettisoned alinoßt every fundamental Ballance and &eddon stood for, and was in process of disintegration. Mr Wilford alternately had angled for an arrangomont with the Labour Party and au amalgamation of the Reform and Liberal Parties. It was hoped there would bo a development, since there was no real line of demarcation between them. The Reform Party stood supremely for big landed interests, and the Liberal Party for big business interests. The real lino of demarcation was between both these parties on the one hand and t)ie Labour Party on the other. ' He was confident, with effective organisation and ample funds, • Labour could win against the two other Parties this year. The Liberals' only hope was amalgamation. As a third Party they were an anomaly and would be decimated at the polls. In any case as a Party, Liberalism was doomed to disappear. -