The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1916. THE TIMES AND PARTY GOVERNMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1609, 12 September 1916, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1916. THE TIMES AND PARTY GOVERNMENT.

THM N.Z. Times recently staled tha), the lion. G. W. Russell, in a speech at Auckland, emphasised the good results that he claimed hail been achieved by the parly fusion, and broadly hinted'at the National Government coni inning to govern after !he war. The Times staled that it 'appeared that Mr Massey and some of his Reform colleagues hold views identical with Mr Russell's. The Hon. Mr Russell has taken exception to the construction placed upon his remarks at Auckland, and says: —‘‘The speech of mine to which reference is made was made at a Harbour Board dinner to the Japanese Admiral aml.his officers. Mr Gunson, in proposing the toast of ‘Parliament,' to which I responded, had pointed out flint Parliament Avas united. 1 replied in the following terms: —‘Parliament is nearly united; but not quite. Tin' two historic parties—Liberal and Conservative —have joined forces, owing to the balance of power, for (he purpose of the war, and until the war ends. They are Avorking together for the common object, and it is to the benefit of the country that there should be a cessation of party strife whilst the war is on.’ I then proceeded to say;—‘There is a small minority, insignificant in number and influence, which has endeaA’oured to make trouble in connection with war matters; but its influence is duly and accurately appraised by the country. One of your Auckland members has written some verses,^ of which I will quote the first: —

Here we suffer grief—and Payin', Here we meet to part again; Rut when in Heaven there’ll be no Payne, And we shall part no more.’

“The Auckland audience id once saw 1 lit' joke*; Iml yon apparently did not, l or a low days after you published the lines in a garbled form ns follows;

Here we suffer grief mid pn in. Here we meet to part, again; But we shall part no more.

“On this Jlims'y structure you (mild an editorial in your best style, alleging that I had proclaimed the view that I wanted the National Government to last. At the time I treated yonr lucubrations with amused contempt, and look no notice of them. As you now reiterate the lie, it is necessary to clear* the point up. Hy reply, therefore, is that it i> absolutely untrue to say that 1 have ever hinted at the National Government coni inning to govern | after the war. It was formed for

Iwo specific purposes, namely to avoid party eontlict during'the war and to sirengthen the Ministry for war purposes by tlu- inclusion of Liberal members who had had Ministerial experience. Directly the war is over, the National Government must resolve into its cinst it neat elements, even if the result is an immediate appeal to the country. When that happens—be it soon or no) —1 look for a forward Liberal policy on the lines of Ballance and Seddon that will leave no room for doubt as to the result.”

STATKMKNT BY HON. DK. M<NAB. TUB lion. Dr. ’McNab, speaking on behalf of the Liberal members of the National Cabinet, told a Dominion reporter on Saturday that (he 'l’imes' story of an arrangement within the National Cabinet to bring about a permanent fusion of parlies was absolute nonsense. He was* (piile sure that the spirit of the agreement that had brought the National Government into existence was being loyally observed on both sides. “The National Cabinet was formed with a clear understanding that there was to be no sacrifice of rights or principles on either side,” said Dr McN;;b. “Liberals and lieformers agreed that parly warfare was lo be suspended during (he war period, and the National Government has worked on that basis. If any person rates (o interpret a loyal observance of the agreement as a sacrifice of party principle, or as a conspiracy against a particular party, then that is no concern of mine. The members of (he National Government will continue 1 to play the game fairly.”