REFORM AND FUSION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 18

REFORM AND FUSION.

TO TX3 SDITOB Or TBS FES6S Sir. —Your correspondent is as 'straight'' es that street called riraight that isn't straight. But that <eort of argument gets us nowhere —any mure then "John Straight's" facetious reference to we personally. In the House wo at.lack the matter before •he House aivj not the individual who brings the matter forward. I appeal '■> "John Straight" to let us both do ur best to get politics as straight as my other business proposition. I say again in the light of past his:jrv, 1 mean the history of Reform in politics, that Mr Coates s seven points, ps disclosed in Monday's Press, are •hoer humbug; and I go further and ».av that "John Straight's" letter proves it to be sheer humbug. "He Mr Howard) bays John Straight does • ot find much fault with Mr Coates's ~.c<-!ar&tion that the cost of produc•.•ori must L* reduced, but he wants to »oow how it is to be done. Ho is maim:; a request no responsible leader -r-f anv I'arrv v. ouM seriously consider r "ion he asks Mr Coates to detail his •scheme for bringing about such reduction. Mr Holland would not do it. Mr Forbes, the Leader of the United Party . . . would not do it, and Mr Coates has nothing to learn from either of them in the matter of policies! genera!. 1 hi p." That means, if it i-i&ans anjthinc, that Mr Coates Vr.ows how 'to reduoe production costs, -mows how to make life easier for our primary producers, but won't disclose it unless ne is put into office. Well, it that ia the moaning of Clause 2 of the seven point*, than "John Straight" is making it worse than "humbug." 1 have worked with Mr Coates for eleven •'ears, and 1 have a higher opinion of feim than that. "John Straight" asks, "Whv did Mr Howard stop so suddenly in his informative discourse" in relation to the National Debt? Well, the reason 13 quite straight. No. lof tho seven points ears that "there must be a return to the late Reform Government's woltcr of tapering off public borrowing. I took the vears that Reform was in office and thowed that tho National Debt had increased from £7B per haad of population in 1912, when Reform came into office, to £172 per head when Reform went out of office. Realising that there ha<3 been a National Government for some time during those years, I then took each ▼ ear from 1918 to 1925, and showed now the National Debt had increased, and asked where waa the evidence of tapering off ? In 1918 it was £!50.000.000; in 1928 it was £251,000,000. Where is the evidence of tapering off? We borrowed more money in those tea years than in any ten years in the history of the Dominion. Again "John Straight" says that when I eritieised Mr Coates's policy of derating I was willing to wound but afraid to strike. Let mo disarm "John Straight" by saying I like Mr Coates. A* an individual Mr Coates is popular in the Hons®. I would not say one word against that gentleman himself. Bnt as X am one of eighty who are asked to YOte to pet his Party into power on the Treasury Benehes, I have a right to ask him to disclose his Party's platform before I east my vote. Article 3 of the seven points says that "a policy of derating must be adopted to ease the tardea of the roading costs on the fxrraer." lam not saying that I am against tho idea, bnt I ask for further information. It's a new.plank in Reform's platform. As £33 out of every £IOO spent on roads last year cane out of rates, I want to know where that £S3 is coming from if not ont of rates? 7 may be wrong, bnt it looks to me as if it won't be the working farmer that will receive the benefit.

Finally "John Straight" asks, why ha# tho Labour Party steadily and conti*tenily kept this "rotten Party in office"f The language is not elegant and ii not mine. In the conclusion of my previous letter I said the dividing line between Reform and the United Party appears to me to be about as wide as a postage stamp is thick. Believing that, where wonld the gain be in turning United out and patting Eeform inf Finally, Sir, because I do. not wish to take advantage of yonr kindness in giving space, there is a feeling, and it is pretty general, that polities are not run straight; that the politician talks round * subject so that he can escape when pinned down. Zam now asking that the seven points, new points, by the way, in tt<s platform of the Reform Party, shall be fully explained so that we can enderirtand just what they mean. It may be that I can support them whjn I hear what they mean. At present they appear to me to he sheer humbug.— Y'ours, etc., U. J. HOWARD. urih, I^9.