FUSION PROPOSAL

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 62

FUSION PROPOSAL

FAVOURED BY FARMERS STRONG GOVERNMENT ESSENTIAL. WANGANUI, May 19. Messrs W. J. Polson and 11. G. Dickie, members of Parliament, addressed a meeting of farmers at Maxwell last evening on fusion. Mr Polson was strongly in favour, while Mr Dickie considered that the United Party should carry on with the assistance of Reform until the general election. Other prominent farmers, including Messrs W. Morrison, G. V. Pearce, and G. F. Moore, strongly supported fusion. The latter said fusion should be adopted till the country at least gained a reasonable state of prosperity, and a strong National Cabinet should be formed. Messrs J. G. Coates and W. Downie Stewart should be included, also one or two Independents who understood the farmers’ requirements. An agreement should be reached whereby the best candidates, irrespective of party, would be selected, and given a clear run. The Farmers’ Union should do everything in its power to bring the saner elements together. A triangular contest would simply play into the hands of Labour. Times were changing, and views must be altered accordingly, and differences sunk. The meeting, with five dissentients, carried the following resolution: —“The meeting is in accord with the resolution carried by the Farmers’ Dominion Executive of Wellington on May 6, and further, we are of opinion that all the moderate sections in the House should now combine and form a National Government, which would go to the elections with a solid front, and prevent vote-splitting, thereby ensuring that a strong Government be elected to carry on the business of the country on safe lines.”