NEWSPAPER COMMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1931, Page 6

NEWSPAPER COMMENT

COALITION WELCOMED

PARTY CONSIDERATIONS MUST NOT COUNT.

j The Auckland ‘’Star,” in an eclitorjal, says tlut, while the country will welcome the coalition, it will be, very critical of the delay that has occurred, for which both ithe Government and the Reform Party are respoiisible. The ■House should have been called together earlier, and Reform should have been much readier to help the Government. The second half' of the financial year will have begun before the amended Budget‘is ready. 1 ! “Members of ' Parliafivsht must not be surprised,’’ the “Star” says, “if, in ithese circumstances, public ' opinion grows more and mpi'e suspicious of their motives and more dissatisfied with Parliament's record.”

After referring to the tasks ahead of the Government, and pointing out that the Labour policy is constructive, and contains some helpful suggestions, the “Star” concludes that the question of. postponing the elections is affected by the delay referred to. In the very exceptional circumstances, it is against the public interest to hold the election this year. “However, not fo/ a moment should party considerations be allowed to weigh in deciding when the elections should be held, and any attempt to. alter the law with the idea of outmanoeuvring the Labour Party should meet with the (strongest disapproval, and would almost certainly recod disastrously on its proposers. The- sole' concern of. everybody now should he the good of the country, and party considerations should be laid entirely on one side.” ) “NO FALSE ALARM.” In a. leader the Wellington "Dominion” says; “What actually happened on Wednesday was that Mr Forbes issued to the leaders of the other parties present at the conference an S.O.S. on behalf of the State. Mr Coates and Mr Holland both knew it was no' false alarm, for they had before them the full reports oif the vessel’s condition and, as Mr Coates has emphasised, there was need for immediate action. It was a call no leader, of a political party should ignore. Nevertheless, Mr Holland held on a separate sectional course, leaving Mr Coates to stand by. “There can he no doubt that public opinion will endorse the action of the Reform Leader and approve his sense of national duty. Serious as conditions undoubtedly are ; howevei, there is cause for confident hope that stability will be restored and the country placed on an even keel as the result of the practical ministrations of the new (Coalition Government. Its members will not be able to woik miracles, but they can check the financial drift and set a true course for a- safe haven.”- . ■ . •_ rrr.::.

ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF COUNTRY. Recalling Mr jCoates’s motion three weeks ago, the Wellington Evening Post” says : “Entering the conference in the spirit of his motion implied that Mr Coates found facts strong enough to disturb some of his preconceptions and compel assent to more intimate cooperation with the Government than he had previously deemed possible, The essential needs of the country are stability, confidence and rehabilitation, and but’ Tittle has been done for them during the seven critical weeks that have passed since the introduction of the Budget. The partial paralysis of the seamanship of the ship of State which has arisen from the dissensions of the crew are now at an end, and we may soon hope to see her making headway oil her true course arid well out of the danger zone. The settlement is equally honourable to both leaders, and will be equally honourable to both parties if they faithfully follow the example of good sense, mutual forbearance and loyalty to the public interests which the leaders have set. A material part is that it is a Forbes-Coates Government, and not a Coates-Forbes Goveminent. It is probable that many more intended coalitions have been wrecked on the preliminary point of precedence in leadership than ever came into being, but it may safely be assumed that in the present case this delicate issue has made no trouble at all, and the manner in which it has been settled supplies proof of the disinterestedness of Mr Coates.