NATIONAL PARTY.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1926, Page 3

NATIONAL PARTY.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, June 18. The National Party met to-day. AH 0. \Y. Forbes was re-elected leader of the Party and AH E. A. Ransom the wire In i subsequent interview with the Pi css AH Forbes stated tho qtte ition of action of his Party during the session was discussed and it was decided owing to the result of the recent election returning Mr Coates with no overwhelming majority of supporters bound to him by a personal pledge, that it was more than ever necessary that those members who were free and untrammelled should maintain a vigilant scrutiny of the Government’s proposals and administration, so that there should be no abuse of the autocratic power placed in the hands of the Prime Atinistor. The National Party recognise it was vital to a continuance of the country’s prosperity that there should be strict economy in the country's finances: that land settlement should be pushed on vigorously and that local ■ industries ho stimulated and encouraged in every way possible. To that end. the Party would endeavour to see that the policy was fully recognised and acted upon by the Government. The Party realise that the smallness of their numbers and in fact of the whole Opposition and the great majority of the Government, rendered their task increasingly difficult. As the use of the division lobbies to emphasise the strength of any criticism was absolutely futile, the only avenue through which they could work was argument and criticism and to that end they would devote their best energies, leaving the decision and responsibility as it must be in the hands of the Prime Alinistor who with the great majority at his hack had practically been given a dictatorship.