THE NATIONAL PARTY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1925, Page 4

THE NATIONAL PARTY

ITS ALMS OUTLINED. WELLINGTON*; July 21. Air T. M. Wilford and several members of his party addressed a meeting at Hutt last night, when the following resolutions were agreed to:“That this meeting of the Hull branch of the Liberal-Labour federation wishes to record its entire approval of the decision of the members of the Party in Parliament to create a new party to he known as the National Party, with national aims and policy, “That this meeting of the Hut, branch of the Liberal-Labour Party re grots that the Prime Minister should have refused the generous and unsel-

lish oiler of the Liberal-Labour Party to join with his party in tlie formation of a National Party so that a strong, stable Government could be formed." In an address Mr Wilford said that the absence of a majority of any party in Parliament to-day had produced the worst possible examples of the threeparty system. As lie stated in his letter of June 4th. necessary legislation, through the absence, of a party with a majority often could not find its way on to the Statute Book. Ihe ollei ol the Liberal-Labour Party to the Reform Party recently to form a National Parly was turned down by the Prime Minister, who wrote on July 7th. last that for many reasons he did not think the formation of a new Government was practicable at. ihe present time. “That decision,” said Mr \\ illord, "ml lnOl tn accent. but WC all felt that

such a decision would not. meet the wishes of the electors of New Zealand, and, moreover, that it did not express what the country requires. Me I ell that the eontinuance of Die Lioeral-I.a-hour Party as such would not help in the formation ol a National Party, loi we could not expect. after our cxpeiionce of the negotiations, any move Inward in ihe desired direction, not wit iistanding ihe fact that we had offered. if a National Party was formed, to leave the whole of Die selection of the Ministers for tiie new party in. the hands of the Prime Minister. I hit tlm Prime Minister cannot deny. We took this step to remove any suspicion that bargaining for office in the ucv. Government was an obstacle to ihe* mo\cnii'ill. “We had before us the caucus resolution of the lleiorin Party, vi/... that ll*e party desired fusion, and when we wen* told that it was impracl cable after receipt of that resolution, we fell compelled to take the step, that has been taken. The alteration of the name

get away from the old party lines, and we believe that llie alteration will help in end the faulty three-party system, which he had in the negotiations been trying to eradicate. AVe intend, in due (•nurse, to issue* a National polug which we hope will attract all shades of political thought except those who at;** opposed to the maintenance of constitutional Government, and v.i* believe from tlie announcements of all parties in .Parliament, that in these days Liberal principles must be the driving force in any National party. “A National Party will not be niannclcd to vesterdav, but can move forward to’meet changing times and changed conditions. We want to make our Parliament a great National Cmnniiitee attending tn the allairs ol I lie nation as they would tn their own. We are out to create the Friendly Society spirit in politics and would welcome tin* assistance of any men cm the Reform side who will help us to do this. We want to help create friendly relations bet ween Capital and Labour. W o believe that monopoly lies behind the great, increase in the cost of living, for a command of prices has been established by small groups of persons or great industrial combinations, and that competition, the* great regulator ol prices has at times been practically shut nut. In a National Party, the suspicion that there is unfairne-s in the actual daily difficulty of making both ends meet, we would endeavour to 10 lllovc*. Business men want peace and wish to have a i lianci* to prepare years ahead fur development and not to he the creatures of Government whims daily. We want to see whether lag business lias entered politics and is subsidising it like* we have read ul ill other countries; we want to stop big business controlling politics. We realise that scienee, machinery and iuveiil inn have made radical changes which must la* considered and provided for. former theories may have to go and old practices may have to he scrapped. We see American abundance in Die ti cl < | of industry is Hooding our eouut ry.

“We think a. National Party can prevent the building Up of prolils for trusts at the expense of the people. With a minority (lovernmeul this can not he done. We want to see a stable position and economic solely, and while v.e rei|iiire development, we do not lerpiire it at any price. We want to set' the National Party going ahead with no old .-.cores to he paid oil, and no sentiments to he satisfied, and no revolution to he attempted. “All who wish to work in tile common interest should help us. I el us try and bring under the National Party ...I eias.ses together upon a platform of accommodation and common interest. Many people by force of habit vote a particular way for a particular party. We want those people to join with the new party, which will Imre the kindest sympathy with every project of social betterment.

“A National Party should break up any partnership lot ween money and power and in that way lies the gales of liberty. In fact, under a National Parly, all could work lor the whole of the p"op|e. ii"t some of the people.”

TII K “POSTS" COMM PINT. M KI.I.INt :TOX. duly 21. The Prime .Minister is strongly criticised by tho "Wellington “Post” for his suggestion at Palmerston North that the Liberals’ desire to amalgamate on a real national basis was only skin deep, and that the mol ires underlying t!■:• negotiations were not wholly of a disinterested character. “It is to he feared that by this grave insinuation, whether true or false, the Prime Minister has effectually halted and barred the door, whatever was its previous condition.” declares the “Post.” “And we are humid to add that on the face of the correspondence there is no ground lor the charge, llow can the Liberals, after consenting to give Mr Coates a free hand in reconstruct ion of the Ministry, he accused of seeking only for the rewards of cilice 'r The correspondence gives tin support to the charge, and if there was anything else to suport it a full dis< Insure should he made at once.”

AN AUCKLAND RESOLUTION. AUCKLAND. July 21. The Auckland branch of the LilioralI.about' Federation adopted the following resolution:—“Recognising that a change of name does not imply a change of principles, and having confidence in the Parliamentary executive, this branch unanimously endorses their action in changing the name, and pledges itself to support tho National parly, ft also desires to express lively appreciation of the common reuse behind the leader's proposal lor a National Party.”