Reform-Liberal Fusion Recalled

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 162, 29 September 1927, Page 1

Reform-Liberal Fusion Recalled

“MY DEAR WILFORD” MR. HOLLAND’S ANALYSIS “T HAVE no quarrel with these gentlemen at all, except with their inconsistency. “They can't Have it both ways.” In these terms Mr, H- E. Holland, at Ngaruawahia last night began an analysis of the relationship of the Reform and Liberal Parties. He recalled that prior to the last

election Mr. W. A. Veitch was telling Parliament there was no point of difference between the two parties, and certainly none that was sufficient to justify their remaining apart. "MY DEAR WILFORD” He referred to the communications, with regard to a fusion of the Reform and Liberal Parties between Mr. Wilford and Mr. Coates. “My dear Wilford,” and "my dear Coates.” (Laughter.) Mr. Veitch had then acknowledged that those letters were written with the full authority of the Liberal Party. Mr. Veitch had further said that the Liberal Party had concluded the time had arrived when party prejudice should be cast aside, so that Reform and Liberal right form one National party. “When the negotiations for fusion failed, Mr. Veitch protested that the Reform Party had decided to maintain \ its narrow party status, instead of the broad national attitude. But in due time Mr. Veitch concluded that the broad national attitude was unsuitable, and he followed the Reform Party's example, and returned to the narrow party status. “The question Mr. Veitch has now to answer is—which statement is correct: that there is no difference between a Liberal and a Reformer, or that there is a real difference between them. VOTING WITH REFORM Mr. Holland further recalled that in the overwhelming majority of divisions the Liberals voted either solidly, or in a majority, for. the Government. All tiiis demonstrated . that votes cast for the Liberal Party would be votes wasted The only effective opposition was the Labour Party, the rise of which was parallel with the rise ol the old Liberal Party, under Ballance and Seddon, who had fought their way to the Treasury benches over a score of je, ¥o-dav” concluded Mr. Holland, “we have five candidates in this electorate You can eliminate, I think, one of them at least. The real issue is between the Reform Government and Lee Martin, the Labour standardbearer.” (Applause.)