REFORM DISINTEGRATION?

Evening Star, Issue 19786, 9 February 1928, Page 10

REFORM DISINTEGRATION?

NEW PARTY MEETING POLICY STATEMENT WITHHELD [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 8. Declining to answer questions and promising to give the policy of the United Political Party when the next general election campaign opens Mr G.' W. Forbes, leader of the National’ist Party, and the present political head of the new party, spoke at the Town Hall to-night, dealing with the political sins of the present administration and suggesting reasons why there should be a change of Government. The audience filled the greater part of the lower portion of the Town Hall, and it was evident from the reception which was accorded the references to the Labor Party that the majority were adherents to that cause, a fact mu which Mr Forbes commented. Jhe mayor (Mr G. Raildon) presided, and associated with Mr Forbes was Mr K A. Ransom, member for P.aliiatnn. The meeting was the first under the auspices' of the new party. Mr Forbes said there were signs of the disintegration of the Reform Party, with which there was dissatisfaction throughout the country. Unemployment was the test of a Government s efficiency, and bo said that in 1890, when the Liberal Government came into power, it met a similar situation by palliative measures which became unnecessary when a vigorous land settlement policy was inaugurated, there was need to-day ol moVc vigor in settling the land, and he criticised the Minister of Lands tor a lack ol energy in this respect. He accused the Government of extravagance in honoring. and asked how the last Budget could bo termed an economic Budget when it, forecasted a tall in revenue and an increase in expenditure. Jhe needs of the country to-day were a vigorous land settlement policy, fostering without spoon-feeding worth-while secondary industries, caretnl control by Parliament of the national expenditure, a, more equitable system of election by preferential voting, and a legislative rest Many members ol the audience were catling on Mr Forbes to answer questions and to state the new-policy, while at the same time others were calling out eulogies of the Labor Party, when (lie mayor declared earned on the voices a resolution ol thanks to the speaker. The motion also proclaimed that the speech revealed the urgent need of a change of Government and that the meeting welcomed the _ new movement ns n basis lor united political action, commendable to and in the interests of the community. The motion was moved and seconded from the bod t v of the hall. An amendment protesting against conscription was lost.