POLITICAL SITUATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17976, 22 March 1930, Page 9

POLITICAL SITUATION.

HON. J. G. COATES’ TOUR.

PLEASED WITH RECEPTION MR 11. E. HOLLAND’S EXPECTATIONS (Special lo Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The Hon. .7. G. Coates, who returned from his lour of the South Island early In the week, expresses himself as well pleased with the receptions extended Lo him in both Canterbury and Otago, lie docs not Hatter himself that all his former opponents in the Southern province have changed their minds and are now aching to enter the Reform fold, but he thinks he is justified in saying that a large proportion of them are reconsidering the political position, lie is not contemplating an early dissolution of the House, and he lias no .desire to embarrass the Government while its leader is on the sick list; but lie realises that an extremely difficult position is arising and that no one can say how it will be overcome. He does not understand how Mr H. E. Holland, the leader of the Labour Party, can expect to have a turn on the Treasury Benches in the near future, and this is not a development he is discussing just now. Labour Impossible. The Evening Post, w’hich still clings lo the belief that there are no essential political differences between the L’niteds and the Reformers, scoffs at Hie idea of Mr Holland aspiring to lilt Premiership. “Air Holland,” it says, “has done his party infinite harm by the persistent manner in which he has embarrassed the Administration in Samoa and inflamed the passions of ignorant and suspicious natives by his reckless attacks. When the Coates Government was in charge it could rely on the loyal support of the National Parly, as it was then, but that support was qualified by occasional reservations. There are no reservations in the support which the Reform Parly is bound to give lo a Government carrying out its own policy under an Administrator appointed by itself.” With all this every unbiassed person acquainted with the composition of the present House will agree, but defeated in one direction Labour easily might attack in another and so by ringing the changes on the other two parties make a dissolution inevitable.