MR FORBES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1925, Page 4

MR FORBES.

i NEW LEADER OF NATIONAL i PARTY. WELLINGTON. Aug. MTl:e “Dominion," the Government adveeate. suggests in regard In Mr I Forbes's apptuntmeut to the leadership of i he Naii uial Party that it would be (tut ting a strain on facts to suggest that the clumge in leader-a,in is likely in altv wav to strengthen the pnsiiiou of the I .ib-ral Party. Air Forbes has had long cxpork-nee in par!iuiue.oit. and iias yet t., deunnistrate that he U,e quality of a lender. The ! ••Dominion” after referring Lo the new ! I, ad: r as one of the diminishing hand 1 of Cniiservi’.live leaseholders, con- ! i inline.-: "Now that Mr Fork's has I la-ell elevated lo the Liberal leadership. I farmers throughout the Dominion no j doubt will Ik' curious to hnou v.hal 1 attitude his (tarty takes as a j uilh reference to land policy. _ I "le.-s I 1,., is prepared to discard the views he 1 has hitherto expivs-ed. Air Forbes pr->-j sumanly will advocate the adoption ol I an inconvertible leasehold tenure in j future settlement operafinns. hut it -eetns r.alh.er unlikely that his party j would support a policy of Hit-, mil ore. ! Tin- <*xl s*lll I ) whirh t in* c*-::i 111 ‘' j |,,.|al or b it National:' 1, ader-lnp , will alters party relationships in the ! | (nose has yet to appear. Il will >’•' ! iuieresliilg to S-.-e whether All k < • 1 ” ' | wiil I • prepared to swing lie Y.eiglii i in i lie direction of bringing about a | fusion oi pailia- nr whether he will ! adh-i-e to the hostile attitude wlnra j marked the speech he made a week of two ago at Stratford, and was eqtiall> ■ reni in the speech he made on Hie ■ | fusion quest inn in the Umbo. U '•«* ] to he cnnl'essed that, although lie was ; leader of the delegation his party sent . , ~, n,,. 1,,-ion i ouierenee, his indicated j i mil a,-i lien has been to revert U> the ' old coudilioiis ol party warlare. The “New Zealand Times." which for some time past has been xliungl;. 1 critical of the National Parly, say-: ~ ■ -We wish Air Wilford speedy copvalcs- , cence. lie does well to break tem- ' cnrmilv with the burly burly ol active J polities before it breaks, him. _ Mr Forbes, who takes over the reins, is de- ’ serving of the honour. We can think f of no one in the parly whose all-iotllli . { ,ujtli licittintis even approach those "t f the member for Himmui. Air l'm’bos can show a long record oi faitnlul setvice to the Liberal cause. He is loss sp■etitcular but- more solid than his pre- ’ deecssur. He commands the respect ot • !-,is group and ol the House generally • hecavtise of his personal qualities and 1 the conscientiousness with which he performs his Parliamentary duties. I Like Air Wilford. H until, it’s represeti- \ tative is a veteran campaigner. He has r I Been through many hard lights wit mint I if.** ~f those human attributes whicn 5 are s:> valuable an asset to modern t I publicists in popular esteem. At the i ' same time Air Forbes is not to he

greatly envied the task which has fallen to his hands. AA a much doubt that ho is fated to succeed where Afr Wilford failed, 'mo position of the erstwhile Liberals has not changed notably with the change of leaders. The party should logically be marching shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Alinister. AYe may be wrong, but we cannot seo any hope for it as a separate entity d*