THE NEW LEADER.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1925, Page 4

THE NEW LEADER.

Pit ESS VIEWS. j " AN OPEN SKC’ItKT.” • The " New Zealand Times." Wellington. says:— “ In a statement made to the Press, Sir Francis Hell, after outlining the eon-t 1 1 11 1 ioiiaI po.-ilion, makes the interestin'' announcement that very soon the Heiortn Party will meet to choose its leader in the Mouse and in the eountrv. That done. Kir Francis will opproaelmd to name the Minister to whom it is desired that the duty of forming the new Ketortu Government shall lie entrusted.

••It j, an open secret that the party is fairly sharply divided on the question of the new leader. A .section supports the lion .1. G. (nates. v, hose capacity to got things done and general husiii"--like air have reenmiuentled him to many outside Parliament. Hut Mr (’nates, it is credibly reported, is not wai’li .l v esteemed hv the more (1111--ervative side oi the uartv: th-' term Coii-ervative sttlTieiellt ly explains that altitude. It is Jtlsn against him p|,;,I (.is knowledge ol the standing Order- is not exactly brilliant. On the other hand, the Mon A\ . O.iwnie Mewart knows the Standing Orders intimately. and it is additionally in his lavour tliat he has an older head oil his sll‘ *ll Mel's.

•■The name of the Minister of Lands has been mentioned as a possible successor to Mr Massey, hut he can sear ely hope, or expect, to prevail over oil her Mr Coates or Mr Stewart, though his promotion would he acceptable to the larmin;' community. Rural interests, however, are nut the only ones railing lor povenimeiital e.iusideratioti. - VOI’TM ON MIS SI nil.” The "Dominion.'’ Wellington, says: "Indications at present point to the probability that Mr (’nates may ultimately he chosen to lead his party and become head of the Government.. With youth 1 n his side. Mr Coates has exhibited exceptional capabilities as an administrator in roiilridlling 'cvernl ot the principal State Departments. ITe has made it plain that he possesses 111 ■.f eouraee. determination. and

progressive initiative. o|f Ml- ales heroines Prime .Minister. Ili- chief weakness is likely to he in dealing with external allaiis. Ibis could he largely remedied hy a eontinned assoiea t ion ot Kir I'raneis I tell w ith tin' .Cabinet : if, that is to say, Kir Kraneis tan be persuaded to continue to carry the burdens ol Ministerial rank. " it is essential that individual wm-

hers of the party should recognise that the leader appointed, whether Mr ('nates or another, must he -oven an absolutely free hand ill the selection ol Ins Cabinet. No leader ami prospective Prime .Minister who hop,'- to play a wor'liy part can all'ord to lie crippled hy Weakness in till' ranks of his nilleagues.

"L,ui"fit of service in the party and individual ambition (annul lie allowed to hamper ti e choice ol the new Prime .Minister. lie must lie given a nunpletelv free hand to ehoo.-e as his eolleaj'iti - the men who in hi- judgment po.—ess tic highest qualihea t ions tor odiee and who will en-operale unitedly 1 ,1 t!;e best ailva lit ape. There n ill -1 he tin vicldiog to t'ne tend' net , which no doulil is apt to appear in any poll: i. a I party, to measure claims p, nuixidcrntiou Io partv service rather than by ability ami eanaeiiy.” TALK UK KI'KIUN. "Tlie Ikuehiion” then goes i.n to refer to the p is-ihili t v of fusion : - “It ha- been saweslcd front tilin' to lime that there are member- of the Liberal Pally who would he prepared l i sa", ,• under M r Coate-. I hi.-. |iruhah!', i-. tt ue enough. The diifereiiee.bet w eel! at least a section of the Liberal Parly and I lie Kelorm Party at" so slight that there i.- no sound reason, and no reason ol any kind beyond party and personal prejudice, why they 1 1 (1 ill ( I nol eoiee together. If a true concern for the welfare of Ihe country i- tin l ruling eon-ideratiuli with all (oii--1 : ii.'.l, a 1 11 -1 • 111 oi this km 1 may b • 1 1!'. 1 !._■ 1 11 about. "it mav lie found in i -art . hnwever, tliat an appeal to the 1 nun in:

|i any i;.i !■ ■ :ii11iI• lnr cllhc which It{ invohe .t;i* l sucrilicc (~ the pi'in: ijil.'s «:■ have (Mill ueia ted ilhnvo as essential to the sound (iioere-s of llio country. l! is Till' hotter Lliat the l!o!'.rm Party. a party. should phe'c its i i m ihr ha in [, nl I lie ( 11 11 u 1 1 v i»:i a clear ami douuiio priiyranviK' of sound prnyi'es.N than that it should sa ■!; ! i re ia a; i, hy an v kind u; ha ryni nine " i'l!K iIKST Cl. AIM." The Welliimtuil "Post " says. * 'The • ahiiice lies lielueen two man. one ul " Innn is out •• i the i omit rv ami cannot ill the l.esi le. lack I, ell,re the eve of I lie vos - 1011. liy es' 111. ill ( (ill ,eli| Mr Dmvuii' Stetvart Inis the hast claim to the position if his health will allow him to take it. 11 is cruel t lint to t lie heavy price in -ulleliuiv which hi, patriotic aervh e a: the front Inis already exacted shou!il !i ■ added the denial of t' e p. lilii inn's hiyhesi reward when i". erylmdv ayrees that on the merits his claim is levond (Fisimie. lint it i

question whether to ask him to face an immense addition to the political burdens which he lias so bravelv home I may nut he to add to the cruelty. The II .question is one on which if is only pos--1 sible to guess until the linal result in Me treatment which lie is receiving in New Wk is known, and even then the ’ answer will probably he mute to clear. "The other alternative i- Mr J'. (:. 1 Coates, who has made a very favour- j able impression on tlie country as aj ( oiiragi'Oiis, rehiist, enterj>risitig, and I hnsinesslike ndniiiiistrator. In knowledge of the forms of the !(011-0 and of external alfnirx lie falls short of Mm 1 Stewart, hut his possession of many of the atiril-utes of leadership is beyond question. Fortunately, there is nr, reason to stipnose that either of these competitors would not. loyally support the oilier if he was not himself the choice of the party. Whatever that choice may he the party may therefore rely on the cordial co-operation of two men whose qualities, as the ‘New Zealand Herald’ points out, are mutually complementary in many ways. The combination should he as apt and a harmonious us that of Sir Francis Bell and his late chief.”