NATIONAL PARTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 April 1943, Page 3

NATIONAL PARTY

NO OPTION BUT TO PREPARE FOR ELECTION STATEMENT BY LEADER. REPLY TO MESSRS. COATES AND HAMILTON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. “Though the National Party is certainly not responsible for the continuance of party government during the war, we have no option *'to making requisite preparations now that Government has decided that an election must be held,” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, today. Commenting ‘ on the joint statement of Messrs. Coates and Hamilton deploring the holding of a general election, Mr. Holland said he agreed with the two Ministers that it was deplorable that sufficient unity to avoid an election had not been reached. Tire question of holding an election was debated only a few weeks ago by the House of Represntatives, said Mr. Holland, but Mr. Coates and Mr. Hamilton had neither spoken nor voted against the proposal to hold an election this year, though they were given the opportunity. Lately predictions had been made that the war in the Pacific would last at least another three or four years, said Mr. Holland. That meant that if no election was held the party Government elected in peace time and which - had spurned any move to get genuine unity for the duration of the war would be endowed with an unprecedented life of eight or nine years, and perhaps more. He doubted if even those persons who felt misgivings about the holding of the election wanted that to happen. South Africa was to have a general election this year, while in the United States, where the Congressional elections were held as recently as last November, next year's Presidential campaign was already getting under way. INTEREST IN POLITICS. “Actually I doubt if there has ever been greater interest in political principles than is the case today,” said Mr Holland. “Men of all races and creeds are aware that the moral issues at stake in the war cannot be separated from political questions. “In some quarters this restlessness finds expression in criticism of the party system, and we hear clamour for the election of independent members. It is perhaps not realised that the stabilising influence of the party system has proved indispensable in democratic government, the only alternative so far discovered being totalitarianism.” Except on motions of no-confidence in the Government, when members were naturally expected to conform to their election pledges, the National Party did not place its members in straitjackets. The former custom by which they were expected to vote as decided by the leader had been ended when he became leader, and members were now free to vote according to their consciences. As an example: Mr. Doidge had spoken and voted against the extension of the life of Parliament this year, and Sir Apirana Ngata at the last session had protested against the holding of an election this year. Yet both members remained valued members of the party. Another case was that of Mr. Kyle, who voted against the Opposition on the River Control and Soil Conservation Bill, as it was recognised he had a perfect right to do. “Men of independent character and fresh and vigorous outlook should certainly be welcomed in our political life,” said Mr. Holland. .“The party system, however, does not exclude such men. Indeed, they are able under it, so long as their party is not dominated by outside agencies, to exert much more influence and do more for their constituencies and New Zealand than they could possibly do as Independents.” Discussing the selection of National candidates, Mr. Holland said the party conference last year had ruled that selections made in 1941 should be deemed to have lapsed, the purpose being to give electorates a free hand where circumstances might have altered. Members of the party in the various electorates were now proceeding to the selection or endorsement of ■ candidates where they had not already i done so.