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The Press Wednesday, November 26, 1930. The Reform Party and Fusion.

Referring to the Reform Party Leader's comments on the vague suggestions of fusion, the Aeting-Prime Minister talks tiresomely beside the point. A North Island telegram today reports his reception of " the " first definite statement . . . as to a " definite line of policy upon which •' fusion can be considered between the " Reform and United Parties " —a fumbled arrangement of words which can imply, and was probably meant to imply, that for the first time a basis for discussion and compromise between the two Parties had been proposed; and when Mr Ransom goes on to observe that this supposed offer " does not come in the form of a •• definite official statement to the Gov- " eminent, but in a statement ... to

" the Press," he leaves very little doubt at all of his wishing to treat Mr Coates as a negotiator, whose proposals, if " laid before the Govern- " ment," will receive " fair and earnest " consideration." But the point, which is certainly so plain that no one can miss it without blinking- hard, is that there has not been and is not now any question or hope or thought of negotiation. The Reform Party cannot negotiate, because it will not compromise. It has no " proposals" to make, because it has principles to stand to. All that it may do is what it must do: it must assert its principles more clearly than ever and fight for them more strenuously than ever. If the United Party, or any members of it, choose to fall in behind, they are as free to do so now as ever they were; but to say this —and Mr Coates said nothing else —is not to make an offer to negotiate, it is not to extend an invitation, and it is not even to say that Reformers would wholeheartedly rejoice if the United Party politicians did troop over in a body. It is best to say quite bluntly that some of them would have to be received on trial rather than on trust. Further, though this would be the dissolution of the United Party, the responsibility for its misgovernment could not be dissolved with it and would not lie forgotten by the public. The risk of its trailing this cloud of glory and fastening some of it on the Reform Party, in the judgment of a section of the public, might be worth accepting, or perhaps could not be refused; but it is a risk, serious even when met (as it would be met) by a Party strong enough to have refused any sacrifice or abatement of principle. To a Party which had weakened itself by compromise it would be disastrous. If Mr Ransom draws up his " arguments for and against the " proposals for fusijn" on this basis, which is - ..the only one that any firm Reformer considers possible, he may clear his mind on the question, at least, and may achieve even more useful results; but on any other basis he can only waste his time with quite unreal pros and cons.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19301126.2.57

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 26 November 1930, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
512

The Press Wednesday, November 26, 1930. The Reform Party and Fusion. Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 26 November 1930, Page 10

The Press Wednesday, November 26, 1930. The Reform Party and Fusion. Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 26 November 1930, Page 10

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