NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

Otaki Mail, 27 January 1919, Page 4

NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

ACTION BY PROGRESSIVES.” The Dunedin “.Evening Star/’ writes: ' “The rumours that have been current in political circles in. .the South.: to the. effect that a new political party, with aims and objects distinct, from those of any party now in existence, will shortly bo formed, seem to be based on something far. more substantial than hearsay. In fact, at the present moment, certain well-known members of Parliament are collaborating" with the object of springing the new progressive party on .the public by the'time the general' election comes round. Numerically, the mi-, cleus of the party uow in the House of Representatives is not strong —probably about'a . dozen members comprising its representation—but the engineers of the new movement hope that the general election will see a solid phalanx of its disciples contesting tli6 orthodox parties’ seats. One of -the chief instigators of the new party, who wishes, for diplomatic reasons, to remain anonymous for the time being, is the, authority for the statement that the only reason why the Progressive Party docs not declare, itself is. because the pledges of the members at the last election make it incumbent on them to support their political leaders until such time as the Coalition Government ceases to remain Th power. “At the ncxt/clection,’ said this anI tliority, “ we shall bo able honourably to dissociate ourselves from our party I whips, and wo shall then come out as | Progressives, with progress as our I watchword.’ Exactly what the planks in'the plat form of this new party will' lie, it is impossible at the present moment to say, and it was being decided upon.”