ELECTION DECISION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 54, 26 October 1931, Page 3

ELECTION DECISION

("Post" Special Commissioner)

MR. HOLLAND GRATIFIED AT • SUCCESS OF PARTY'S EFFORTS CLAIMS LABOUR IS RESPONSI

WELLINGTON, Saturday. Approval of the Government's decision to g o to the country was ex~ pressed by Mr. H. E. Holland, leader of the Opposition, in a statement today. "It is gratifying that the efforts of the Opposition, backed by public opinion ,have resulted in the abandonment of the Prime Minister's proposal to disfranchise the electors," he said. . Mr. Forbes first raised the question in a definite form when he arbitrarily ended the work of the special inter-party economy committee. He then insisted that, before he would permit the committee to proceed with its deliberations, there must be an agreement to form a National Government and postpone the elections. "Labour members of the committee at that time offer ed the strongest opposition to any postponement and since then the Labour Party has consistently demanded that Parliament should take the verdiet of the constituencies at the usual time. ' Msich In Common "It was inevitable that the Reform and United Parties should eventually come together in an endeavour to stave off a Labour victory," Mr. Holland continued. "Within recent times their respective programmes have had much in common and whatever differences may have existed between them have now vanished. During the past twelve months there has been a complete jettisoning of the programme on which Sir Joseph Ward secured support in 1928 and an unconditional aeceptance by Mr. Forbes of the policy of the Reform Party. The last vestige of the prineiples put forward by the Party formerly led by Ballance and Seddon has now disappeared, and the historic enemies of tw'o democratic statesmen named are in command of the remnant that ■claimed to be their political successors. In the Coalition, the Reform Party is predominant. It holds nearly all the major portfolios, it has succeeded in driving out of the Ministerial camp men like Sir Thomas Sidey and Mr. Atmore, and it has been able to impose its policy on the programme of its devastating defeat in 1928. This tical purposes the Reform Party is now the Government, notwithstanding its devasting defeat in 1928. This is borne out by Mr. Coates when, in his appeal to the supporters and selected eandidates of the Reform Party to accept the new situation, he intimates that the Party will maintain its separate identity and will not sacrifice its traditions. All'eady Known "In the statement issued by Mr. Coates he declares that the grave financial stress and danger disclosed by the evidence submitted to the special economy committee is the reason for the. alliance foi'med between the Reform Party and the United Party. As a member of the special economy committee, I have no hesitation in saying that nothing whatever was disclosed to that committee that was not already known to its members. The real reason for the alliance (about which I have no right whatever to complain) is the mutual reeognition of the grave political stress and danger menaeing both the parties because of the unpopularity of their legislative and administrative aets., "I am sure the country will await with much interest the appearance of the comprehensive plan for the general rehabilitation of the economic life of the Dominion which Mr. Coates te-lls us the Government has worked out. Dishonouredl Promises "There is something particularly inapplicable and not without a touch of humour in Mr. Forbes' statement that, as a result of the coalition, the finances of the Dominion will be maintained on a sound and stable basis, and that the high reputation of New Zealand for honour and integrity will be in safe hands. Safe hands can hardly be said to describe adequately the politicians who have dishonoured every promise made to the electors and who have regarded no contract with either the general public, the State employees, or the wage workers as worth the paper it was written on. "The Labour Party, in keeping with its repeated pronouncement, will facilitate the work of the House in order that there will be no delay in going before the electors. "The definite date on which the elections will be held should be made public without delay. The Government may hope to reap some petty advantage by keeping the information within its own party, but the electors are entitled to know it. A regrettable feature is the absenee of businesslike methods in matters of such intense public importance as this."