WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TH E FIGURES OF PARLIAMENT THE THREE LEADERS. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, March 30. The three most striking ligures in the New Zealand House oi Representatives at the present time are the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. ,J. G. Coates the Leader of the Reform Opposition, and Mr H. E. Holland, it he Lender ot the Labour Party. This is not necessarily to say that these three gentlemen are best trusted, or the most capable or even the most popular trio in the House fo-day. As a matter of fact not one of them has a following in the House nearly equal to a majority of the seats occupied. The Uniteds ami the Reformers still are quarrelling as to which has twenty-six starts and which twenty-seven, while the Labourites go a long way towards implying that the remaining twenty-two seats are of their way of thinking, the Speaker thus being the only member with a mind of his own to he exercised untrammelled. THE PRIME MINISTER. Mr Forbes, in view of bin responsibilities to King and Country, which fall upon him automatically as it were, takes precedence of the other two party leaders, and Mr Coates', by reason, of th e dimensions of the Reform Party exceeding those of the Labour Party, makois Ids bow in advance of that of Mr Holland. M> Forbes was returned to Parliament twenty-three years ago and he has bold his rural constituency ever since, in spile of formidable' attacks bv various doughty Reformers, and, R must lie added, in spite of a certain apathy on bis own part. It would seem, however, that in 1.928 all he required was the advent of such a leader as Sir Joseoli Ward, who would dream

dreams and see visions. M bother the impetus behind him is to be towards bis making or towards bis undoing, remains to lie scon. Tliis courage, his candour his integrity, arc as high as bis ideals.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. The Lender of His Afajosty’s Opposition probably is nine oj* ten years vonnger than the Prime Minister. They both made their way into the House of Representatives by virtue of tile Second Ballot. Air Forbes at the general election of 1908 and Air Coates at the general election of 1911. and there they have remained eve*' since as The representatives of Hunmiu and Knipara respectively. The young man from Kaipara, though he applied himself assiduously to the study of the intricacies of politics ond politicians, did not seem to find it a particularly congenial occupation, and when the Great AA'ar made its call tliree years later he was among tinfirst to respond. Returning with a commission and a Alilitary Cross foi services well performed in 1919 he tackled polities with vastly increased zest, stepped into the Alassey Alinistrv in 1919 and became Prime Alinistor himself in '1925. Developing with experience. he stands to-day among the possibilities of a future, which still has its big things to untold. LABOUR. LEADER. Even his best friends will admit that Air H. K. Holland tfi e Leader ot the third p'p-tv in the House of Representatives, is not a tactful individual either in defence or in attack. He brought with him from Australia some fifteen or sixteen years ago a voice and a manner that did not appeal readily to the average New Zealander. Since then, in these respects, lie has made some progress towards the acquisition of a more becoming deportment. On the accession of bis .party ito the distinction of “His Majesty’s Opposition*’ in 1925 he assumed an air which would have- been tolerated by any British representative Assembly. The breeze was blowing bis way. But upon the electoral upheaval of 1928 when the United Party was actually raised to office, and the Reform Party relegated to the distinction of the- Formal Opposition, the Labour Party became a free lane? ready fo break a spear in any field, tented or untented.