WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1931, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

REFORM REJECTS FUSION. GENERAL DISAPPOINTMENT. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, May 7. Tlie Leader of the Opposition lias consulted the members of his party concerning the politicul situation and a majority of them have advised him to take the chances of the approaching genera] election rather than the certainty of playing second fiddle to the United Party in a National Cabinet. Having made his own choice as a majority of his followers would wish, Mr Coates assures the Prime Minister of his readiness to give the Government such assistance as may be consistent with his political creed and practice. “Wo recognise your respou nihility to balance your Budget,” lie ■tells Mr Forbes, “and we will offer no factious opposition to such measures as may be necessary to obtain that object If furui.er help is required, T am prepared in the public interests, if you .so wish, to furnish a small eolnmiittee of ,/Reform members to confer with your Ministers before the legislation in introduced.” No doubt all this is offered in good faith, but it suggests no particularly useful cooperative work.

HARD "WORDS. Tho “Evening Post” in summing up the somewhat ambiguous reply of the Leader of the Opnnsilion to Mr l*orbes’s frank suggestion leaves no room In he misunderstood in presenting its own view ol the situation. “.Mi •Coates,” it says, “was one of tie' first to realise that there was a war on in 191-1, and to give practical proof of it, but today in tin? presence of a far more formidable foe Than Germany, and one that may bold on even longer than she did before asking for an armistice, be must be classed among the politicians, and not among the, far sighted politicians either. What has been uppermost in everybody e]sc’s mind during the last three or four months has presumably been m Mr Coates’s mind also, vet there is hardly tho faintest vestige of it in bis letter to the Prince “Minister,’

There is room for this protest. Plainly the purpose of the leader of the Opposition was to avoid committing himself to anything. Harmony in difficult places it not to be secured by such suggestions. AND MORE. Nor does tlm “Post" leave this fact in seclusion. “Having surmounted tl>c first great obstacle,” it says of Al> Forbes, “the present Minister suggests that the cooperation which rendered the success possible should be made more secure for the purpose of dealing with the difficulties still ahead. But instead of welcoming him as a lira,ad plucked from tho burning aml appearing to help, the Reform leader denounces him as a hypocrite, on the ground that his conversion to Reform principles was declared not by belief in those principles, but bv the hostility of Labour. The tactful folly of such a procedure seemed to be at least as great as was its injustice and ingratitude.” It is only fair to both parties to say that tho Prime Minister. who returned from Christchurch only this morning, does not attach to Mr Coates’s words the malignity less tolerant attach to them. “I don’t think for a minute,” he protested when the phrase was mentioned to him, “that my friend intended to offer me any personal affront.”

A CHEERY LEADER, Dir Forbes has accepted the position philosophically. He can understand, he says, Dir Coates preferring the independence of a free lance, with no creative or administrative responsibility, to the drudery of a Minister, who in such times as these is bound to receive. more criticism than credit. Lie had thought the time opportune lor the Unite ( j and Reform Parties to get together in an effort to present the very strongest front possible to deal effectively with the difficulties besetting the country and the people. He had even hoped that the Labour Party would lend a hand in helping the Dominion over the troubles besetting it, as Labour had done during the Great War; but apparently he had been over-sanguine. As things are all the Government can do is to face tho difficulties before it with a stout heart and overocme them ns fust it can. The Prime Minister will have little time to give to electioneering, come when it may, but he is satisfied to Pave his fate in this respect to th? constituencies am] to d -vote his efforts to a more urgent job.