WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1931, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

G 0 YERNMENT CO ALITI ON

APPEALS TO THE ELECTORS

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, Oct. 27

The decision of the leaders of the United Party and the Reform Party that, with the termination of the life of tlie present Parliament at hand, it is just and expedient that a general election be held at the usual time in tlie early part of December, lias been reached alter months of consideration, deliberation and discussion. Although this decision was formally announced after the week’s business of the House was concluded it practically had been determimd by the two party leaders earlier in tin* week and had been predicted by discerning members of the Press Gallery. The fact is that both .Mr Forbes and .Mr Coates, as well as -Mr Downie Stewart. who probably set aside the small things of party politics more fully than has any other memb r of the House, realized that it wou’d be ridiculous, as well ns obviously injurious, to set the Fniteds and the Reformers at one anothers’ throats in an election campaign while they were striving to n pair the ills: besetting the country. THE PARTY LEADERS Roth Mr Forbes and .Mr Coates in the statements they issued on Friday ('veiling bore themselves with earnedin's.i and dignity. “1 should like,” sa id Mr Forbes, “to pay tribute to the manner in which men belonging to the two main parties in politics have, been able to combine tad to work together in the government of tlie . country in a time of national emergency.” “I call upon the whole Reform organisation and all supporters of the Reform Party to give full support to the Government candidate in each electorate.” emphasized -Mr Coates, “wether that candidate he a member of our

own or the United Party.” There was a. ring about the demand of the leader

of the Eelorm Party which left no doubt ol his own devotion, "to i lie welfare of the country above all other considerations.” Mr H. E. Holland, the Leader of the Labour Party, obviously is perturbed by the closer association between the Uniteds and the Reformers, having hoped that dissensions between the two older parties during the pesent crisis would have helped him and his followers on their way to the Treasury benches. DIFFICULTIES AHEAD That all tlie member of the United and Eelorm parties now sitting in the House will be fortunate enough to secure all the votes for which Mr forties and Air Coates, on account of the country, bine appealed is unlikely. At the time of the formation of tin* Coalition Ministry there were Tid official Reform and United candidates in the field for approaching general election, sixtv-two representing the Return) Party and fifty-four the United Party, and presumably an appreei- | j able number of those aspirants lor parliamentary honours will be reluctant to postpone their opportunity. Already two or three “Independent” candidates have advertised their intention to seek election without any regard to tin* wishes of the Coalition Ministry or tin* prospects of its candidates. It is to be Imped, however, that tin* appeals of Mr Forbes and Mr Coates, which are made with purely national motives, will induce these eager servants of the community to retain tlmii* ardour until a more appropriate occasion. It is quite within tlie range of possibility that the new Parliament will not endure for tin* customary three years. Thus may come tlie opnortunity of tlie Independ- j (>ttls of to-day. CANDID " FCTORS That more restrains than usual shmd. l bo exrerised by both tlie candidates and voters at the approaching general elect- L ion was demonstrirted in these columns j only the other day. It was shown that |' rile three colleagues chosen bv Mr Forbes i 1

from his Ministry when the Coal it mu

Cabinet was formed all had secured

substantial majorities at general elect-

ion of 192 o: while the lour chosen by Mi* Coates from his party ah had secured less than a majority. Stranger still, looking at the matter from a another angle, Mr Forbes, who himself represents a. South Island constituency, chose the v, hole of bis colleagues, the three just indicated ami a member of the Legislative Council, from the North Island, while Mr Coates, who represents a North Island constituency, chose three of his coh'aegues from the South Island and only one from the North Island, ihe signilicanee of these facts is that both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition at the time took with them to the Coalition Cabinet the colleagues they thought best qualified for the arduous and difficult duties they were expected to discharge regardless of their location.