WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1922, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE PARTY TANGLE. ITS UNRAVELLING. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, December tfJ. A retired civil servant, who for nearly twenty years was closely associated lin one capacity or another with Ministem of the Crown, and who since his superannuation has devoted -considerable time to the study of the political history of the Dominion, gave it as his opinion to-day that there should ipe no difficulty, if both sides were sincere in their professions of concern for the pub- ; lie welfare, in the Liberals and the Reformers coming to an agreement that would give the country a stable Government without extinguishing the identity of either party or doing violence to any of its ideals. It was positively immoral, he said, to talk of members of the newly elected Parliament “crossing the floor of the House” in order that the Government might have the necessary majority to rule without assistance from either of the other parties. Mr. Leonard Isitt, who openly had made a compact with the Refomers before the election to support them against the machinations of extreme Labour, was free to keep his obligation, but even the member for Christchurch North could not honourably change sides without first consulting his constituents. THE THREE PARTY SYSTEM. But this did not mean, this authority said, that there was no way out of the present party tangle, short of another election, which, he thought, might produce a state of affairs even worse than the one existing to-day. The Reformers were in a minority in the new House, he went on to say, but, in addition to being the party in possession, they numerically were much stronger than either of the other parties. The suggestion that the Liberal Party should obliterate itself was not worth discussing. Even if the Liberal members were content to go over in a body to the Reform side of the House, a very large proportion of the Liberal electors would refuse absolutely to abandon their party ideals and aspirations. A new Liberal Party would be formed within a month, and the inevitable three party system would continue, perhaps with Labour for a time constituting the stronger wing of the Opposition. The expedient might relieve the tension for the time being, but. it would ultimately land the country into a worse predicament by driving numbers of progressive Liberals and moderate Labouites into the revolutionary camp. THE WAY Oil T The urgent needs of the situation, it was pointed out, were perfect candour and sincere patriotism. The Reformers must recognise that they wore in a minority and the Liberals L mustrecogoffice without the assistance or extreme Labour. On both sides there -must be readiness to make concessions and to exercise forbearance. For the time the finesse of party politics must be set aside. The two parties were pledged neither to hold ofiiee nor to take office by the grace of the Labour Party. This placed upon them the obligation of making some arrangement among themselves by which the Government of the country could be carried on with effeciency and secure from the harassing attacks of extreme Labour. It was for Mr. Massey as Prime Minister and as leader of the largest party in the House to make overtures to the leader of the Liberal Party. It could be assumed that both leaders would be prepared to make their word good by honestly seeking for a basis of agreement. STABILITY AND ELECTORAL REFORM. Happily the differences between the parties were not so great, this authority stated in conclusion, that they need be J regarded as an insuperable obstacle to a working arrangement. The insistent l demand in the election policy of the Reformers had been for a stable GovernIment; in the election policy of the Lib- | erals, for electoral reform. The Liber--1 als in the House without offending against any of their election pledges , could undertake not to associate themi salves with any attack upon the Gov*

ernment involving its existence during the first session of the recently elected Parliament, and the Reformers, on their part, could undertake to pass during the same session such a measure of electoral reform as might be agreed upon between the parties. A compact of this kind would prejudice neither party. The Liberals would reserve to themselves the right of criticising the Government’s measures and of voting against them, except in the circumstances specified, and the Reformers would merely substitute for a system of voting, which again Las shown itself unreliable and inequitable, one that, would be certain and just. Mr. Massey and his friends would have their stable Government and Mr. Wilford and hi«s friends would have their electoral reform.