A SHAM FIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1919, Page 5

A SHAM FIGHT.

NEED FOR RE-ALIGNMENT OF PARTIES. (By Wire.—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. "The more I listen to this debate the more I realise that it is a sham fight that is going on," said Mr. Downic Stewart to-night in the House. "I don't mean to include the Labor Party in the sham fighting, nor do I. wish to say that the Leaders of the Liberal Party and the Reform Party are not sincerely in earnest and deeply convinced of the diverge in views between them, hut any man of the rank and file, looking on at the debate and listening, must realise that the differences of opinion are only affecting points in the Budget." Mr. Semple: It is shadow sparring! Mr. Stewart: Both leaders have pat forward proposals of some importance, but I am satisfied that nothing is more needed in New Zealand at the present time than a re-alignment of parties. When the elections come along these two parties will find that the electors view with little favor this fight that is going on between them. What is going to be the outcome of it I am not going to try to prophesy. It may be that we are drifting towards what Lord Haldane called the other day in England "the group system," and in any country in which it has been tried this system has been proved to be a very unsatisfactory system of Government. The position may involve another general election, but, whatever the solution of the problem is to be, the position of affairs at present is certainly most unsatisfactory.