POLITICAL CRISIS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 870, 14 January 1930, Page 11

POLITICAL CRISIS

(Continued from Page 1) Referring to the electorate of Parnell, which he formerly represented, Mr. Dickson said that even if he were not the official candidate in the event of a fusion, he was determined to stand. He had been interviewed by a number of people, who had asked him to return to politics. “A large number of the electors feel that Mr. H. R. Jenkins has failed to keep his pre-election pledges, according to his voting in the House, more especially in connection with the duty on flour,” he concluded. LABOUR MEMBER SPEAKS ATTITUDE TOWARD FUSION CHAOS IN UNITED PARTY “I am satisfied that the United Party would not fuse en bloc with the Reform Party,” said Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. for Manukau, who was asked this morning to comment from Labour’s angle on the present political crisis precipitated by the chairman of the United Party Executive, Mr. A. E. Davy. "It is said that the policies of Reform and the Uniteds are similar,” Mr. Jordan continued, "but this I cannot comment on because I do not know the agreed policy of the United Party. My decision is that there is no policy upon which that party is working.” The member believed that there were among the parties ranked against Labour certain members whose opinions commended themselves to the Labour Party, and who were sympathetic toward Labour and who would and could join with the party. As to Reform, Mr. Jordan said it was a party with a policy and was united in furthering it, but the policy was one with which he could by no means agree on many points. Asked whether he thought Reform would welcome a fusion as suggested by Mr. Davy, the member for Manukau was of opinion that Mr. Coates would be pleased to receive the support of any members of the House who were prepared to make an unconditional surrender. The Leader of the Opposition, however, would not want the secession of a number of the Uniteds holding mixed opinions, hut would. «rather prefer an appeal to the people. A number of the United Party would undoubtedly be ready to leave their party, but certainly not all. LABOUR AND UNITED Mr. Jordan agreed that Labour’s support of the United . Party in Sir Joseph Ward’s moments of extremity during the late session required some explanation. He said Labour gave the new party a chance to get into shape, hoping that the promise of prosperity through plenty of cheap money, the promise of the solution of the unemployment situation, the promise of advanced land settlement, etc., would be carried into effect. “We may support them again if there is a decided indication that they will restore prosperity to the Dominion,” Mr. Jordan hinted. "If, however, there is the same confusion in the Government, and distress throughout the country as now exists, the kinder way to all

concerned would be to put the United Party out of its political

misery, and ask that Labour be given the chance to show its ability to govern.” About the regrettable “London loan embargo” canard and the “Vaile letter,” Mr. Jordan said that the Prime Minister, though himself half the party, was a sick man, and therefore liable to make mistakes. Mr. Davy’s charge that the Government was a one-man organisation was probably justified. Sir Joseph Ward found that he had to rule, or chaos would have been even greater. Mr. Jordan was definite that the time had arrived for a return to the two-party system. Labour would welcome it. “In fact,” remarked the member, “the two-party system has arrived. The genuine Liberals are supporting Labour in Britain, and their influence has been great. X think the position is now similar in New Zealand.”

The spirit of Liberalism did not exist in many United Party members, Mr. Jordan felt assured. He could un derstand why the people turned away from Reform and tried the new party, but what did they think of it now? Its members varied so widely in interests and aspirations that at no time could it be called a team or a party. POWER OF LABOUR PARTY MR. YOUNG’S VIEWS UNSATISFACTORY POSITION Press Association HAMILTON, Today. Mr. J. A. Young, M.P. for Hamilton, and formerly Minister of Health under the Coates Government, invited to express his views on the political situation, said Mr. Davy had uttered one or two home truths clothed In phraseology somewhat blunt, perhaps, but at the same time well known to students of the political situation in New Zealand. “That the United Party is not happy under the present leadership is no secret in well-informed political circles,” said Mr. Young. He added that no inconsiderable section of the United Party throughout the Dominion and including several members of the United Party in Parliament were not at all satisfied with it, and indeed they go so far at times as to openly suggest and name a successor to the present Prime Minister as leader of their party. “Knowing, however, that Sir Joseph Ward is a very sick man,” continued Mr. Young, “one is restrained for the present, beyond stating a few facts, from commenting in that connection. What is of real interest to the country is the position it finds itself in and drifting to with three political parties in the House, not one of which, of its own numerical strength, is able to carry on unaided. “The immediate prospect of any one party obtaining a dependable majority over the other two for working purposes is not at the moment encouraging. We have the spectacle of a political party in office professedly anti-Socialistic, yet kept in that office by the Socialistic Labour

Party. The position is anomalous, in that we have the United Party in office while it can be truly said that the Labour Party is in power in New Zealand.

“The Labour Party is actuated, no doubt, by the best of intentions, as all political parties are. it stands for au advanced radicalism which, if given full swing, would, in my opinion, spell ruin and disaster to the country generally,” maintained Mr. Young. “The country needs today a leader

who lias magnetic force, capacity, time and means to devote himself exclusively to that great task—the task of uniting and leading those elements which stand for constructive progress along the lines of unfettered industry and the development of individual character and home life in the people as against the Socialistic ideal of State enterprise in all directions, and the submission of the individual in the national life.” NOTHING TO SAY " MR. FLETCHER IS SILENT “X have nothing to say about the political situation. I decline to express any opinion.” So said Mr. J. S. Fletcher, M.P. for Grey Lynn, when approached by The Sun today.