WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

STRENGTH OK PARTIES

At TER THREE YEARS.

(Special to ‘‘Guardirji''.)

WELLINGTON, July 13

The division eiiriv on Saturday morning on -Mr Atinore’s amendment to tlie Address-in-Reply showed the relative strength of the parties in the House of .Representatives to lie unchanged

since the short session alter the general election ol 19th-’ when Mr L. -M. Isjtt and Mr George Witty, returned as Liberals, for what they considered good and sufficient reasons, threw in their lot with the Reformers. The amendment, taking pairs into account, was defeated by forty-one votes to tliirtv-sevon. the only absent votes being those oi the Speaker, who wax in the (Tmir, and Mr Ly-nar, the member for Gisborne, who fount! hiinseii in the dilemma of approving of the amendnient and not wishing to express no(onlideiiec in the Government, and so left t.it- Chamber to avoid going into the lobby. Mr I’olantl, the member for Oliiiieiiuiri. who always has lieyn a Liberal of iiulependent tendencies, also was in a difficult position, disapproving of the amendment and having no particular desire to help the Government, hut preferring principles to party he went into the "Noes” lobby with the Reformers and so swelled their majority to four, in place of three, as it would have been if the question had been decided on strictly party lines by Mr l.ysnar voting with the Government, and Mr Poland with the Opposition. Three, it will he remembered, was the margin by which the Opposition's no-confidence motion was rejected alter the last general election. A I)II'T'KR ENT M ATT EH.

It must not lie supposed, however, that the patU temper of the House today is just what it was thirty-six months ago or even six months ago. The removal of Mr Massey's strong personality instead ol wrecking the Reform Party, as many ol its members lea red and expected if would, seems at the moment likely to give a I resit lease of life. The appearance ol Mr ('dales, an active, eager, popular young man. as successor to the dead loader inis appealed to the imagination ol the politicians and the public, and if the new Prime Minister treads warily during the next few months and gets to the polls in good lime, without making anv grave mistakes, the “ chance ” to which his friends hold him entitled may he forthcoming. Mr Coates hamade a good beginning by ctmlcssiug his limitations quite frankly. IT. knows nothing about polities, he says and nothing about public linance. If: wants to lie judged by Ids deeds, not by his words, and to ho given a fair opportunity to get about his job. Candour of this kind, wholly unalfeeteil, is always popular and often effective. How long it will take this prepossessing young man to learn something about politics and public linance remains to be seen, but his critics are disposed ta lie palienj and tolerant with him, and his sanguine friends are confident lawill prove an apt pupil. It rests with himself to justify his opportunity.

Et'SION OR AVI lAT ? The debate on Mr Atinore’s amendment di<l not throw much light on the fusion enigma. Whether or not it was intended to force the hand of the Government, as the lobby gos-ios i Pose to believe, only the member for Nelson himself can say, since he alone was re.-paiisilile for us production. Hut whatever may have hern his intention, the demonstration of lorcc is not likely to hasten the Government in coming to a conclusion. In the course of his (ant ribution to the debate. Mr .1. G. Anderson, the Minister of Labour, indicated some of the difficulties that lay ill the way of fusion -pledges to constituents, adjustment of policies and s i forth—and these scarcely could lie o\ erconr l hv a resolution at a joint caucus of the two parties comerned. The main difficulty in the wav of the Reformers, however, appears to he that tV.oir very admirable organisation in the constituencies, with which the present I’rinie Minister has had nothing to do, are so far advanced that it would he practically impossible to contest the approaching general election except on the old party lines. The responsible Minister, it seems, has not relaxed his efforts in this direction even while tile fusion negotiations have been in progress. It is obvious that politics and cricket are iilaycd under somewhat dilferenl codes, but as organisation is the very soul of i he former gain • perhaps the Minister may be excused.

LA BOER. I lie Labour members. naturally euoiiglr in view of the merciless manner in v.'llicli they have keen denounced by the member lor Nelson in recent years, rose one after another during the debate with no oiler serious purpose. il seemed, than to pay hack that gentleman generously in his own coin. In his reply. Mr Atmore, like the experienced campaigner, declared that Irom such a quarter ahu.se was more aueplable than praise, and passed on to other phases of llie settlement. '! here cm be no doubt, however, that l.abonr is going to profit more from the present finessing than either of the other parties, whatever the ultimate issue may be. The notion that Mr Holland and his followers are alarmed at tlie prospect of the big battalions that may be arrayed against them in the House is quite an erroneous one. They are very careful not to appear to lie taking sides in the matter, beyond making it plain that a no-coitlidenre vote against the Government will always receive their sympathy and support. The principle of being " agin the Government," is so firmly rooted in their political hearts, indeed, that when they reach the Treasury Benches their whips will have to be very alert to prevent them voting their own party out of office. Meanwhile, however, they are confident of securing, in addition to the natural growth of their own, party, a considerable accession of strength through rerecuits from, the ranks of both the Liberals and the Reformers. 1