A CONFLICT OF POLICIES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1928, Page 3

A CONFLICT OF POLICIES

FUSION REJECTED. PREMIER ON “STANDSTILL” PARTY. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Dee. 11. “ The Leader of the United Party has definitely declared that his party will not agree to any working agreement between the United Party and the Reform Party in order to hrm about a strong and stable Government. There does not, therefore, appear to be any good purpose served by discus sing probabilities of tin’s nature.” In these terms the Leader of the Opposition disposed of the coalition qres tion in a statement which he read to the House to-day. Mr Coates remarked that it would be found that the only jarring note was in this first paragraph. “Blit,” he added, “it is a fact, and it is for me to state it,” and Mj- Coates left the point alone in his general references to the new Ministrv.

The Leader of the Labour Party. Mr H. E. Holland, left the matalone, reminding the House that he J had made the position of liis Party eloar, and he could only assure the Prime Minister once again that Ministers would find the Labour Party voting for them when they were right. ' I .a lighter.) Sir Joseph Ward’s retort was to inquire: “What’s the use of the Labou Party voting for me when I am right? What I want Mr Holland to recognise is that when we are wrong we want his support.” (Loud laughter.) < Mr Holland: On that basis you should have supported the Peform Party all the time. ! The Prime Mi»»• We will take hat into consideration for the futur (More laughter.) HEADING BETWEEN THE LINKS. Turning to the coalition reference in Mr Coates’s statement, Sir Joseph Card said he was taking the opportunity of reading between the lines, ind he was not clear in regard to the ‘■tateinc”t of Hio leader as to the views lie held on the fusion the Reform and I nitml Parties. On oi'oposal was made in the Conservative Press after the election was o\ ■ Rut,” continued the Prime Mined' '• 'tin' ei rcii msta in es to my mind are | 'erfectly dear. There can >e no loubt in the minds <'' mpartiul persons that the two parties were standing on diapnetrically opposite sides. Our friends opposite advocated a policy <f ‘standstill.’ Thev were urging that thev were a solid party. Me were an unknown rpiantity, they said, but we were out on definite and unmistakable mes. There could not be the slightest mistake, and the public were told by me in Auckland, at the opening o' the campaign, that 1 represented ■200,000 electors.” This fact, suggest'd Sir Joseph, could have been ascertiined by anyone who examined the electoral figures of the previous elections, and who realised that on that occasion there was no opportunity aforded everywhere to record a vote I r his party, therefore it was cast if or R“ •’orni candidates. When the 1 n;ted Party brought into oxisteive the icy liing whicli was missing, they were "'onnd to win. for there was a big recession fr r m the ranks of the Reform Party, of those who formerly had had no alternative to them. The suggestion for a coalition was mule when d was realised that the Reform Party had not succeeded. CONFLICTING .POLK IKS. “ We were working on diametrically ipposite lines,” continued the Prime Minister. “We were asking lor a new ustem of obtaining money and meeting the unemployment difficulty, a new system of providing for settlement ahd money for workers, and that is the point on which 1 am going to ask lor an adjournment, because I want it, not for party purposes, hut in the interests of a policy intended to le of use >for the country, 1 am entitled to have the right in norni'l circumstances to investigate many things which are essential to tlie Minister of Finance.” The former Finance Minister had stated that there was borrowing a thonly for fourteen millions, hut could not toll the speaker whether it was suf(ieently pliable to obtain the money the Government wanted for the general purposes of its policy. \\hnt would be the use of fourteen millions worth of Treasury Bills il he was going on the London money market for the loan?” Mr Rownie Stewart: Tt does not re quire Treasury Bills. Sir Joseph: 1 may temporarily. II we cannot use the authority for our policy there must be authority given by Parliament unless they say they are going to appeal to the country again. How could 1 have asked the 1 nite«i Party to coalesce with a party which steadily opposed them from on 1 I end of this country? No rational man could expect us to turn a somersault after having been before the footlights, without a mandate being obtained again from the people to eons to change our view, which means a change of policy. The Reformers would not agree to our policy, and wo certainly would not agree to theirs;