REFORM PARTY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20093, 24 November 1930, Page 10

REFORM PARTY.

QUESTION OF FUSION. REMARKS BY HON. A. D. M'LEOD. '?KEBS ASSOCIATION TKL.KCIiW.ii. 1 TIMARC, November 23. Addressing n meeting of Reform supporters in Timaru 011 Saturday night, the Hon. A. D. Mcleod made reference to the nersistent cry from certain quarters for a fusion of the Reform and United Parties against the forces of political Labour. Those tiding such a courso, said Mr Mcl.eod. wore, he feared, poor students of contemporary -oiitical history. In Australia, of recent years, largely as a result of pressure from the influential City Press, and City electorates, fusion hod taken place in the Commonwealth, and all Stati." Parliaments. In every instance the Country Party which, prior to the fusion had not been taken seriously, immediately became a strong and vital force in Australian politics, and although having 110 such intention, certainly assisted, ratll-or than weakened political Labour's position.

Was there a likelihood of anything different happening in New Zealand? In the North Island at least he had little hesitation in saying that fusion would brinfr about at the next election. in rural electorates, n crop of Country I'arty candidates, who would poll a very large number of votes. The plain truth was that here, no more than in Australia, with "or without reason, farmers and numbers of small country people did not trust the motives which lay behind City electorate intentions; and no greater blow had been struck in recent years against Reform than the spreading, by its opponents of a tale among farmer's that a 8 a Party Reform was bound hand and foot to City interests.