THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18404, 10 June 1925, Page 8

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

CONFERENCE TO CONSIDER FUSION. MR WILFORD'S LATEST LETTER. (rRESS ASSOCUTIOS 7Ei.EGr.4M-) WELLINGTON, June 9. A letter from Mr T. M. Wilford to the Hon. J. G. Coates, Primo Minister, says:— "I have to acknowledge receipt of yours of the Bth inst. with reference to the proposed conference of representatives. I am satisfied, on behalf of our Party, to fix the number of representatives from either side at four, and as you have decided not to take a personal part in the preliminary conference, I am willing to remain away from it, realising that whatever the conference suggests • will have to be referred to my Party as a whole for confirmation. "I consider the date you have fixed, the 18th inst., too far ahoad, and would suggest that you consent to bring tho same further away from the oponing of Parliament. I understand that the Ministers will have certain engagements to fulfil before the meeting of Parliament, but at the same time this matter is so important that I think it should not be delayed longer than absolutely necessary. As I have now to all the suggestions with tho exception of the date, may I ask you to agree to the date being fixed for, say, the 15th or 16th inst., if it cannot be mada earlier?" PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY. (PEES 3 ASSOCIATtOK TELEOBMI.) WELLINGTON, June 9. Respecting the proposed conference of Reform and Liberal representativea with regard to fusion, tho Primo Minister has replied to Mr Wilford as follows: "Dear Sir,—l have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of tho 9th inst., from which I am glad to learn that you agree with my suggestion that the number of representatives from either side to take part in the proposed conference should be limited to four, and also that the leaders of the respective parties should not be members of the conference. I note what you say in regard to fixing an earlier date than the 18th inst. for the conference to meet. Since the receipt of your letter I have been making enquiries/ and regret that I find that it will be impossible for some of our representatives to be in Wellington earlier than the 18th inst. I therefore trust that in these circumstances representatives from your side will find it convenient to meet in Wellington on that date.—(Signed) J. Coates." '

THE OUTLOOK FOR THE SESSION. MR LYSNAR'S ATTITUDE. (special to "the PM*B.") WELLINGTON, June 9. Mr Wilford's last letter makes 'the chances of a meeting before the session between representatives of N the Eeform and the Liberal Parties in Parliament practically a certainty. It seems unlikely that the date of the meeting will be earlier than June 18th, the date selected by Mr Coates. Anyhow, the difference of two days as proposed by Mr Wilford should make no material difference to the result, whatever it may be. The main issue no doubt will be the terms demanded by Mr Wilford's delegates. . There is no' foundation for the statement that the Eeform Party - has selected a candidate in place of Mr Lysnar to contest the Gisborne seat. From reiterated statements made by My Lysnar, it may be expected that he will not vote against the Government oh a ho-confidenco motion during the coming session. He has over and over again stated that his quarrel is not with the Government but with.the Minister of Agriculture, but even if Mr Lysnar should decide to vote against the Government it is not anticipated that the CoateS Ministry would' bo unable to weather the session. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that one or more members on the Opposition side of. the House would be willing to assist the new Prime Minister in any such emergency. Besides members do not want a General Election before November, neither does the country. THE FRANKLIN CONTEST PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT ELECTORATE. , (SPECIAL TO "THE PBEBS.") AUCKLAND, June -9. The Prime Minister has decided to take part in the Franklin by-election, and will arrive in the electorate on Monday. The visit will be his first to Auckland province in his capacity aa Prime Minister, a fact which has suggested to the people of Franklin the desirability of giving him the warmest welcome possiblo under the circumstances. It has been decided to meet the Prime Minister on his arrival at Pukokohe with a brass band, which will conduct him and Eeform supporters to the local Government building, the post office, from the steps of which it is hoped Mr Coates will address the pupils of the local schools, who will bo given a holiday for the occasion. The Prime Minister will meet a number of prominent Eeformers at an informal and semi-private luncheon on Monday, and in the evening will address the electors. The Mayor of Pukekohe (Mr, John Eoutly) will preside, and thero will be a prominent platform party. The same hall will be used on the following evening by Mr H. E. Holland, Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, when the Mayor will again preside. On Tuesday, Mr Coates will probably address an afternoon meeting at Papakura, and in the evening ho will speak at Otahuhu. HON. G. J. SMITH'S VIEWS. In conversation with a Tarahaki "Herald" representative, Colonel the Hon. &. J. Smith, M.L.C., indicated that as a member of thG Upper House he must hold mora or less aloof from this question of parties, but he could go so far as to say that he was a firm advocate of fusion. His view was that everybody having the "welfare of the country at heart, in view of present circumstances and what the future was —— • at foot of a«rt column.)

likely to bring, should do all in their power to bring it about. The threeparty system had been tried in England, and had failed- He was there at the time of the last election, and found that the general feeling of tho people was unfavourable to that system. Asked what ho thought of the prospects of fusion being accomplished, Colonel Smith said he could see no insuperable difficulty. Ministerial rank had been a difficulty, but Mr Wilford's declaration that he did not desire office had removed that.

THE CLUTHA SEAT. (SPXCUt TO "TBI PMSSS.") DUNEDIN, June 9. Mr J. K. Simpson, Mayor of Lawrence, is mentioned as a likely Liberal candidate for the Clutha seat in the event of Mr John Edio, M.P., deciding &i 0 i C ° nto f t **° 80at - Questioned Mr Jidio made it quito clear that he would again Mek rc-Uetibn