WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 November 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PARTY HARMONY. * A HAPPY FAMILY. WELLINGTON, Nov 15. One effect of the party truce has been to bring the members of the old parties into much closer personal relationship than they ever were before. The old asperities have disappeared, the old methods of speech have been vastly modified, and the old differences are scarcely perceptible. Occasionally a Minister has an exchange of pleasantries with a member of the rank and file, but it is as often with one of his own party as with one of the other side of politics. The Reform lion, in very truth, has lain down with the Liberal lamb, and even the Labour goat is showing no disposition to disturb this happy arrangement. Whether or not it is going to please the electors when they get an opportunity to express an opinion on the matter remains to be seen; but meanwhile Ministers are showing no inclination to return to the old strenuous ways, and the great majority of their followers are evidently well enough eontenf to wait, like Mr[ Micawber, for something to turn up. . THE REFORM CAUCUS.

In these circumstances no one was greatly surprised when it'" was announced this morning, in so many words, that the Reform Caucus, which had been sitting on and off during the armistice celebrations, had expressed its approval of the formation of a National party which would eschew all the old shibboleths, forgot all the old grievances, and set its face steadfastly towards building up a new political heaven and a new political earth on the sure foundations of patriotism and conciliation. It appeared the natural corollary to three years of amity and goodwill between the lion and the lamb. But alredy there is a feeling among certain Liberal members, shared by all the Labour members, that the proposal is designed to restrain; the progressive zeal of a minority in the House that hopes to go to the country with a programme which will convert it into a majority. This is the kind of criticism the scheme invites,, and the kind of criticism likely to carry weight in the constituencies. DISSENTIENT LIBERALS.

It is rumoured that the proposal did not find unanimous. approval at the Reform ca.ucus, that several of the “old brigade” objected to an arrangement which could result only in unsatisfying compromise, and that probability of the electors taking umbrage at having their interests parcelled off without their being consulted was mentioned. A considerable number of Liberals are still more candid in their criticism of the scheme. It would finally divorce Labour from the Liberal camp, they say. and would delay indefinitely reforms the Liberal leader had promised the people. The National Government has not proved such a success in practice that it will predispose the electors towards a National Parliament, and its failures have been chiefly due to the absence of an effective opposition, for which the scheme makes no provision. The Labour party, of course, is rejoicing over such prospect as there is of a complete coalition between the two elder parties, believing it would make for a substantial accession to its own strength.

THE REFORM VIEW. A pominent Reformer, holding what his party would have regarded a few years ago as ultra-democratic views on many of the important questions of the day. says he has given his support to the proposal not because he wishes to reinforce his own party in office or to defeat the reasonable aspirations of Labour, but because he wants to see the post-war problems and the political reconstruction they will involve handled by a strong, stable Government, safe from embarrassment by the extremists on either side. He maintains that the National Government has been at a great disadvantage during the war period in having to avoid all controversial questions, in terms of the party truce; but that this disability would not apply to a Coalition Government in time of peace, the whole range of politics being open for discussion. There is something to be said for this point of view, but it is not expected it will be accepted by the members of the Liberal party with anything like unanimitj'.