CAPTURED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 226, 23 September 1936, Page 7

CAPTURED.

MR. WILKINSON. JOINS NATIONALISTS. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. INVITATION TO MR WRIGHT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON", this day. An important development lias taken place in political circles. The member for Egmont, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, who since 1928 has sat in the House of Representatives as an Independent, has accepted an invitation to join the Nationalist party, and in future will be a member of the official Opposition.

An invitation was also extended to the Independent member for Wellington Suburbs, Mr. R. A. Wright, but, although no official announcement has been made, it is understood that Mr. Wright has decided to maintain his independent attitude, on the ground that he cannot reconcile his views with the avowed policy of the National party. For some years past Mr. Wright has been uncompromising in expressing the view that for too long the farmer has received too much assistance from the Government at the expense of those residing in the cities. Question of Leadership. Significance is lent to Mr. Wilkinson's decision in view of the fact that recently the question of leadership of the National party in the House of Representatives lias been under review. Some weeks ago a definite move was made by the party organisation outside the House to bring about a change of leadership, but the members of the Parliamentary party took up the attitude that it was their prerogative to select their own leader, and they reaffirmed their confidence in the present Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. Asked to comment to-day on Mr. Wilkinson's decision, and on the question as to whether it might involve a change in the leadership, Mr. Forbes said the question of leadership was one to be decided by the members of the party in the House. "That question," he said, "will be discussed at the end of the session." Mr. Forbes said he had invited Mr. Wilkinson to join the party, and Mr. Wilkinson had accepted the invitation. This decision would strengthen the Opposition. An Able Critic. "We are only too pleased to have his assistance, because he is a very capable man," added Mr. Forbes. "He has had long service in Parliament, and he is one of the best critics in the House." Mr. Forbes said that in the first place the man who was selected as Leader of the Opposition had to assure the Speaker that he had the support of the majority of the members of the Opposition. That was. the condition on which he held his office, and that undertaking could only be carried out by the members of the party in the House. Mr. Forbes emphasised* that the party organisation outside the House must realise the position, though that portion of the organisation had ideas about the question of leadership. "The position is that the members of the Parliamentary party alone have the say who is to be Leader of the Opposition," he said. Mr. Coates' Comment. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, when commenting on the decision of Mr. Wilkinson to join up with the Nationalists, said that personally he welcomed any member opposed to the present Government. "Combined effort is the only reasonable approach if opposition to the Government is necessary," he said, adding, "and it is." In announcing that he intended to join the official Opposition, Mr. Wilkinson stated that in his opinion all those opposed to the declared Socialistic system of Government should sink any small differences and combine in one body, the main objective being to remove the present Government from office and to replace it with a Government more truly representative of all the people. The state of the parties in the House of Representatives is now as follows: Government (Manukau vacant), 54; National, 20; Independents, 5.