FUSION FIASCO.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1925, Page 4

FUSION FIASCO.

Under tlio heading, “ Political Polemics,” the “New Zealand Sportsman” published the following in its issue of July ISt-h :—-

The Fight for Fusion Fiasco has revealed that Mr Wilford is too good a general for the lion. J. Coates. Ihe header of the Opposition carried too many guns for the Conservatives and has shown himself to he superior in strategy and in tactics. That much must he admitted.

The Reformers actually thought they would make the .Liberals prisoners of war it ml grant parole to a few of them on suitable occasions. Virtually, the Liberals were invited to surrender unconditionally and to spike all their guns. Reform's object was the scuttling of the Liberal ship and the total loss oi the Liberal log with all its historic entries.

The correspondence of the subject was presented to the House during the week and all who have read it- must admit the sincerity of .Mr Wilford and his followers. They applied the acid test to Reform’s fusion proposals, and here was the result :

(1) Mr At more’s motion for a .strong and stable National Government was solidly opposed by Reform, although it was the very thing they were asking for.

(2) A Labour amendment for tic increase of salaries for the lower paid civil servants and for a bettor system of industrial award was also out-voted by Reform who profess to he in syinpath; with the " bottom dog.”

What, now. will he the outcome of the failure of Reform to accept the proffered hand of Liberalism? It means that the fusion issue is gullotined .and that, during the next week or two, .Mr Wilford will announce a tig Liberal movement with a most advanced programme that will carry greater weight with the electors than anything Mr Coates can oiler. Liberals have gained immeasurably by the abortive fu..ion proceedings for it hits been clearly demonstrated that they, at any rate, were prepared to sink their own identity for li:e < omnion weal. They have proved that King William 111 uttered only a halt truth to Lord Halifax when he said " the only dill'orenre between the Whigs and the Tories is that toe Tories would cut your throat in the morning an 1 the Whigs in the niternoon.'' 'i lie New Zealand Whigs or Li oiaL have shown that they were prepared to net as their own executioners if, hv so doing, the national welfare would benefit.

TI:o existence of two parties in Parliament has been well explained hy .Macaulay in his "History of Fnglaml.” The great historian says: "The truth is that, though Loth parties have often seriously erred, Fnglaml could have spared neither. If, in her institutions, freedom and older, the advantages arising Irion innovation and the advantages arising from prescription have been (oniluned to an extent elsewhere unknown, we may attribute this happy peculiarity to the strenuous eonflicis and alternate victories of two rival confederacies of statesmen—-a confederacy zealous for authority and antiquity on the one hand and a confederacy zealous for liberty and progress on the other." Party government has changed lull little since .Macaulay so ahlv summed up Ihe position.

Since the iorogeiiig notes were u rntea. Mr Wilford has announced the intention of his party to appeal to the country as a " National " Party and .Mr Coates has replied intimating that Reform ha- decided on the same course. .Mr Wilford',s Dreadnought will be manned by a crew superior in gunnery and seamanship and one can look fora merciless bombardment of the obsolete Reform tub.