WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1922, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Ali LEG ED LIBER A L-LABOU R

ALLIANCE. LOBBY GOSSIP. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, July 17 The long drawn out debate on the j Address-in-Reply is leading to occa- , sional mild passages of arms between j the contending patties. Following the i lead of the .Minister of Justice, the j Reform speakers are assiduously promoting the rumour of an impending alliance between tile Liberal-Labour and the Official Labour groups. The fragment of truth behind the story is Unit two well-known advocates of proportional representation, without any mandate from either the Liberal or the Labour Party, suggested to a Labour gathering in Auckland that the progressive forces in the country should get together for (he sole purpose of compelling the Government either to accept their reform or face a united front at the general election. The Auckland meeting turned down the proposal and the report of an attempt to unite the Liberal and Labour pur(ios under one banner followed tipon its iejection. 11l the House on Friday afternoon AJr H. E. Holland attempted to make capital out ol the incident by talking of revelations that would shortly be forthcoming, but on Mr T. M. Witford challenging him to proceed with his revelations at. once the leader of the Labour Party collapsed. OPPOSITION ALLIANCE.

As a ina' ter of fact the prospect of a union, or even of a working understanding, between the Liberal party end ijie Official Labour party seems no nearer realisation to-day than it was a year ago. Pile similarity lxrtwo-.-n the p licies of the two parties, on which the Minister of Justice jested more or less laboriously last week, is inevitable. They both want proportional representation, they both want land reform ami they hot h want economic reform. These are questions on which they are agreed and there are other questions on which their disagreements are only matters of detail. But the stories that 11 t .y are conspiring together tor the overt brow-of the Government at any cost of principle are absolut- ly without foundation. Air Wilfnrd could not persuade half a dozen of bis supporters to outer into a compact ui any kind with Mr Holland, and the leader of the Official Labour Party would do nothing that would so giievously impaii the eminence to which he is aspiring. Mr Holland, in fact, remains the Reformers 1 greatest asset. next to Mr Massey himself, in that he keeps open the divisions in the ranks ol the Opposition. ELECTORAL REFORMThe Prime Minister having said that he had changed his mind in regard to proportional repi esciitat ion on holiest , disinterested conviction, there really is nothing more of a personal character i„ say about the matter. The present inadequate system ol election remains in force because successive Prime Aliliisteis, who may have had doubts on tic subject when iu Opposition, have made up their minds iu office that it is the very best system that could he ili vi -iil. But a siippoi ter of Mr M.n.~ scv. outside the House, lias suggested that the Prime Minister should take bis (rities at their word and institute a system of election iu single constituencies by preferential voting. This, ol course, would avoid vote splitting without introducing any of the evils of the scimid ballot-, would presei ve the “country quota 1 ’ for what it is worth, and would obviate the delays and difficulties inseparable from proportional representation. This certainly would provide Mr Massey with, an effective reply in much of the criticism that has been diic.ctvd against him and should lie acceptable by the advocates of proportional representation as the half loaf so much better than no bread.

WASTED TIME. The House will resume the debate on the Address-in-Reply to-morrow afternoon, and it is expected that this semewhat farcical discussion will he concluded at the evening sitting. The Government lias made no attempt to shorten the flow of talk, indeed Ministers and their supporters have contributed as much to the stream as have the members ol the several groups of till* Opposition. Mr Holland’s amendment runs to the length „f a fairly long speech, the leader ol the Official Labour Party loving to see

his words in print, out it consist mainly of a string of platitudes without any particular bearing upon the present political situation. it will go by the hoard directly Mr Massey indicates his readiness, to proceed with the serious business ol the session, and then the wheels will begin to go round. Meanwhile the Legislative Council, having completed its own debate, has given if self a week’s holiday, and its Chamber and lobbies are deserted.