POLITICAL SURPRISE

Evening Star, Issue 22451, 23 September 1936, Page 8

POLITICAL SURPRISE

NEW NATIONAL RECRUIT A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP ? DECISION RESTS WITH PARLIAMENTARY PARTY [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 23. An important development has taken place in political circles. The member for Egmont, Mr C. A. Wilkinson, who since 1928 bas sat in the House as an Independent, has accepted an invitation to join the Nationalist Party, and in future will be a member of the Official Opposition. An invitation was also extended to the Independent member for Wellington suburbs (Mr Wright), but, although no official announcement has been made, it is understood that Mr Wright has decided to maintain his Independent attitude, on the ground that he cannot reconcile his views with the avowed policy c f the National Party. For some years past Mr Wright has been uncompromising in expressing the view that for too long the farmer has received too much assistance from the Government at the expense of those residing in the cities. Significance is lent to Mr Wilkinson’# decision in view of the fact that recently the question of the leadership of the National Party in the House of Representatives has been under review. Some weeks ago a definite move was made by the party organisation outside the House to bring about a change in leadership, but members of the Parliamentary Party took up the attitude that it was their prerogative to select their own leader, and they reaffirmed their confidence in the present Leader of the Opposition (Mr Forbes). Asked to comment to-day on Mr Wilkinson’s decision and on the question as to whether_ it might involve a change in leadership, Mr Forbes said that the question of leadership was one to be decided by the members of the party in the House. “ That question,” he said, “ will be discussed at the end of the session.”

Mr Forbes said that he had invited Mr Wilkinson to join the party, and Mr Wilkinson had accepted the invitation. Mr Wilkinson would strengthen the Opposition. “We are only too pleased to have his assistance, because he is a very capable man.' He has had long service in Parliament, and he is one of the best critics in the House,” said Mr Forbes. He added that, in the first place, the man who was selected as Leader of the Opposition had to assure the that he had the support of the majority of members of the Opposition. That was the condition on which he held his office, and that undertaking could only be carried out by the members of the party in the House.

Mr Forbes emphasised that the party organisation outside the House must realise the position, though that portion of the organisation had ideas about the question of leadership. “ The position is that members of the parliamentary party alone have the say who is to be Leader of the Opposition,” he said.

Mr Coates, when commenting on the decision of Mr Wilkinson to join up with the Nationalists, said that, personally, he welcomed any member opposed to the present Government. “ A combined effort is the only reasonable approach, if opposition to the Government is_ necessary,” he said, adding, “ and. it is.”

In announcing that he intended to join the Official Opposition, Mr Wilkinson stated that, in his opinion, all those opposed to a declared Socialistic system of Government should sink any small differences and combine in one body, the main objective being to remove the present Government from office and to replace it with a Government more truly representative of all the people.

The state of the parties in the House of Representatives is now as follows: —

Government (Manukau vacant) ... 54 National 20 Independent ... ... 5