FUSION REJECTED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1931, Page 2

FUSION REJECTED

(Otago Daily Times). The Leader of the Reform Party has ejected the proposal of the Prime Minister that it, together with “all others who have the* interests of the Dominion at heart,” should 00-operatp with the Unitec) Party in the formation of a National Party. In the statement in which he rejects the proposal Mr Coates writes on behalf of the Reform Party. The ■ inference that the Reform Party as a whole not prepare,! to. submit to. what Mr Coates calls ' it's “elimination.” We hayo not heard, however, that the Reform Party as a whole has been consulted on the subject' The members of the Reform Party in Par liament do not constitute the p a rtv If it is by Them ' that the P i Minister’s proposal' has been rejected it is to be feared'that the-v have done a serious disservice' to the Reform Party as a whole. The effect which the rejection o the proposal may have oh the Reform Party is, however, of far less m°men thftn its effect, on t)io. country, If means not pnly that the system of minority Government . which U> Dominion has suffered since the last general election will be continued during the ensuing session of Parliament but also, in fill probability, that it will be continued ih the Parliament

that will be elected towards the end of the year, it ia- c)ifßpult to hazard any opinion about .the result of the .next general election, but;, it is im» possible to suppose that, with at lpnat three organised parties going to the polls, any ono; of them will pepurp the ejection of a majority of its supporters to the. new JRhpsc, , The conviction' which Mr E° r b«* has expressed that a Government that is in a minority of. the House cannot satisfactorily grapple with the serious difficulties that are presented by an

■economic crisis of -grave magnitude i,s one that must be shared with him r»i most, people who are anxious that ’these difficulties shall be overcome in a way that will prove to the eventual advantage of the Dominion. The im-

portance of securing that a strong Government shall hold office during a time such 'as - this; is vtry widely recognised throughout the country. The Prime Minister’s proposal opened th©. dO°r f° r the formation of such a Government.,; ; _ ||Mr Coates write® of the existence of ‘‘known differences on major, policy

measures” as a' reason why harmonious ?4drdp;erftion" between the United and .'{Reforip Parties could: hardly be «x----i pect&di These, ‘.‘differences on . major policy measures” are certainly not ‘‘known.” The seven points of policy, Vnon which Mr''Oates -insisted when the-fusion of tlie parties was mooted in November last,, have nearly all been accepted by the United Party, Any points of : divergence 6f ; policy that remain are,- if . not insufficient moment to justify the banging a«d barring, by the Reform Party of the door which was opened -by the Prime Minister. j The assistance which the Reform -Party has offered to the Government .for the balance of the pre s ent Parlia•‘ment in passing .“such measures of ...economy and finance as the present .crisis demands” will he valuable. Rut party would have Tendered a ..far greater service -to the country if it had agreed' to co-operate with the United Party and others interested in forming a party from which might have been, created a Government that would be enabled fearlessly, without looking to the right or to the left, to promote the legislation that is necessary in the interests °f the community. The Reform Party Ims dbeard'd a great opportunity. In doing so it will have wounded the feelings of, and possibly have estranged, large numbers of electors who have accorded to it

their warm support in the past. But it will have afforded a vast amount of satisfaction to Mr Holland and his friends. They it is ■'■who <• stand to gala through the Reform Party’s decision.