THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 476, 22 June 1912, Page 3

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

SUGGESTED COALITION. While speaking at the banquet tendered at Whangarei on Monday night to the Prime Minister, the member for Marsden, Mr Mander, M.P., gave expression to an opinion which is at some variance with the recent protea tations of the Leader of the Opposition. In discussing the political situation, Mr Mander declared that the wall which now separated the moderate, sound-thinking men of both parties in the House was but a paper wall, and the time had arrived when that wall should be kicked down. The true solution of the present political difficulty was a coalition —a coalition between the moderate men of both sides, leaving out the extremists; at either sides end. And, in his opinion, that coalition would yet be effected. Turning to the Prime Minister the member for Marsden added, "And if it were for men and not for principles that I was standing, there ia no gentleman in the Hou3e whom I would more gladly accept as my leader than the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie," A few minutes later the Premier caused a roar of laughter and some discomfiture to the member for Marsden by announcing that another member of the Oppositions party had recently remarked that it was men, not measures, in whom he put his confidence.