COALITION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 32, 1 November 1907, Page 7

COALITION.

'. ;ati'itiide of. the opposition., believers in principle—not , ; - :l ": "'. 'V ■;' OFFICE "SEEKERS; :, ' ; In, roferonco to a ; telegram ; that has appoared.in tho.Press purporting to.give--tho opinions' of n Duncdin business man as ;o political feeling , .in AucUland and elsowhcro', a prominent member of tho Opposition, whon irit-oryiewod by a representative"' of the Dominion,'mndo tho following statement:— . ''I h'av'e read the' opinion : of -a' business man on "tho political partits, and tho possibility .of a coalition.. I have road tho/Account's/.in .; both tho Auckland 'Herald' of Wednesday; .last -Jand itho 'Evcn- . ing Post' ;df Thursday (yosterday), and:il. find somo,, important differences in ; the, accounts, which make ono wonder which, is the, correct opinion. ..of .''Business Man.',.;..Gon9raliy.spoi)king, however,' thetonn of the two is the same. '1 should/judgo tho imlividuai'to be of no very great oxporieiico and'pno who has'.uo'troaliy grasped tho situ- ■ ation as it prosents .itsolf at tho present tirho,' aud as it ia likoly to' develop in tin • future; perhaps ho himself is desirous of Booufing; Government support: ■at' the hands of thd ■•'electors. ; ' ■■:■■,' ..'■■■■■■ '.'Orio'-.' gathers -from his ; romarks that it is tho. ; gcnoral opinion, that; a .'coalescor.co' of ..the, -two'.i'parties-r the least. revolutionary of. tho.; Government :'party. and;tho; Opposition—would bring about a stable. Governrjient.'Tvhich. would.liavo; tho support ami confidonco;'.of "all, riglit-tjiink'iri'g 'persons. 'It -.s not for .'me''..'to, sajr. ". whether 'that is eo :r not; : ; /piip'!fact,,hWevcr,'stands out; p'romi- '■' nentiy-.at the.presb'nt tirrio, ahd ( 'that is that thoVpowor of tho "comparatively sma|l minority j.instQad of decreasing as apparently'tho business'' miiiV 'thirik's,' 'hasj' , so-far as its >nflueneo'nporitn'6 Government of : tho day >s .obntierned,;.- considerably and -the •more, moderate^ : 'raen''"'of iho''Government side have Veen '(iioarly; sacrificed to'appeaso the wild minority. ..''''. '■'.' ; only to look; at what has : taken plaodfthis'session ;toj roaliso how,much this is'so'. ; Legislation that-has .already , gono through the.House of Representatives gives startling ovidencO'of; the .influence that has been' brought to. bear upon the Goyernmpnt to. nationalise the lands of tho Dominion; and tho .inclusion in the Cabinet of Mr. Fqwlds caiinot. be considered other than n pausp.'.of dissatisfaction .to cvory "settlor :n the .country. . ;-. ~..' . . :; . ■ *:V'gp;.far-|asirkn6w;the opinion of the' Op-positioni-thoy. are..,not ..office-seekers. They have .been fighting for years an uphill game,, 'and-the.'justificatiqn of. thoir fight is in evidonce.'.at.the.prcsontniomont, when wo find even the Government, to .a',great extent intiuoncod by the constant efforts of tho. Opposition :'to,.improve .tlio financial; conditions of r iiie f pominion.' "The' , ' Opposition. havo r.oi before"- themsolves'; some ' guiding ' principles, .which 'believe to. 'bo' (if v carried"• into 'effect)'' in tiio best intorest's of' tho country. Thflse/ principles have' been.. ''constantly enumerated' 'and. tliorb'l.is , 'no necessity for ire to'reoairihem.now. 'To these' principles thev have; remained .firm, arid 'they"have the best of reason to believo that a very'great riumhor of the electors of the Dominion ardiin agreeinent 1 with-thorn:' Whatever the development may:pe,.the 1 Opposition's one aini ( isj|o further the.interests of the whole ; Dpminion, and they iperfeot confidence .the justification •6f-tKeirVpolicy' -aiicl.the.'(fulfilment- of,.their desires."''.' :: ■'•■■' "■ ■■■ - • ■■•.'"■•.' .■■'■■■ ' '. ■'.'. ■"■ \.'.