AN OPPOSITION HOPE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 4

AN OPPOSITION HOPE.

DOOMED TO DISAPPOINTMENT,

LOYAL FARMERS,

BUSINESS TO BE COMPLETED,

The Opposition party liolci a meeting yesterday in connection with the obstruction now going on in the House. Tho Leader of tho Opposition . (Sir Joseph Ward) was not present, as ho did not return from Napier until last evening. No official announcement was mado as to the result of tho meeting, but it is understood that the decision arrived at was to maintain the present state of affairs as long as possible, in tho hope that tho representatives of the farming community belonging to tho Reform party will force tho hands of the Government, and insist on some composition being arrived at.

Any such hope, tho Chief Government Whip (Mr. D. H. Guthrie) assured a reporter last evening, is absolutely without foundation. "The representatives of tho farming community, onHlie Government side," lie said, "are prepared to stay here as long as it is necessary to carry through tho legislation that is proposed by the Government during the present session, and to show that they are absolutely in earnest in tlieir decision, thoy have addressed a letter oil the subject to the Prime Minister. It is signed by all the country representatives who arc present to-day. The others, who aro not present, are each individually vouched lor, and will sign the letter on, their arrival in Wellington. If it were necessary to get a declaration from the representatives of other than farming communities, there would bo no otlfer answer than a decision to go on with the biisiness of the session until it is completed. The party wero solid and enthusiastic before, but tho stonewall that has boon going 011 during tho past day or two has made them more solid and moro enthusiastic than over." Mr. Guthrie produced tho letter 110 had spoken of. It read as follows:— "Wellington, "September 15, 1913. "Tho Hon. tho Prime Minister. "Sir, — "We, the undersigned, members of the party; representing or engaged in farming pursuits, beg to assure you, as Leader of tho House, that, in view of the evident obstructive tactics adopted by the Opposition, we are willing, to remain in session until such timo as you are enabled to place 011 the Statute liook those measures which you 1 • have indicated to us would bo • brought forward this session in tho ' interests of tho country. "We are, etc., . "(Signed) Frank H. Smith, j). H. ; ; Guthrie, Richard F. Bollard, J. B. Hine, J. Gordon Coates, 11. Scott, C. A. Wilkinson, I). Buiek, W. C. Buchanan, AV. Nosworthy, Francis Mander, Vernon H. Reed, John Bollard, H. Okoy, J. A. Young, J. H. Escott, _Q. J. Andersou,, Geo. • R. Sykes."

The following members representing country constituencies wore absent yesterday, but wore vouched for by the Party Whip in connection with the assurance contained in the foregoing letter: —Messrs. G! V. Pearce, 11. M. Campbell, G. Hunter, 13. Newman,. T.W. Rhodes, and C. IC. Wilson. ,