FUSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 185, 7 August 1925, Page 8

FUSION.

PRIME MINISTER EXPLAINS. NOT GIVEN FREE HAND. HIP THUNDER WAS "PINCHED." (By T<-l<-graph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. '-] wa* not given a free hand." was the point of the Prime Minister's explanation of the breakdown of the fus-ion negotiations. v.-hen Liberals insisted on iininediute reconstruction. Mr. Coates informed the House to-night that the member for Jiutt was mistaken when he had mentioned that he had not seen the speaker until he (Mr. Coates) had written saying that fusion was impracticable. As a matter of fact. Mr. Wilford had seen him on June 5. June 9. twice on July 10. on July 13 and July 14. The Leaders of the Opposition had slated to the House that he would put in his resignation as leader. "As a matter of fact, my party is not concerned about that," declared Mr. Coates. "We have not the slightest feeling about whether he is leader or not. and be does not in any way stand in the way. His declaration does not affect the position in tlie slightest." Nor, added Mr. Coates, was the Reform party affected by Mr. Wilford's declaration that hedid not seek a portfolio. That would make no difference. He could Kay that so far as the leaders were concerned they could have come to a practical solution of the question of the electoral difficulty. They could have arranged that where two candidates insisted on continuing they could fight it out. The name of the new party wag discussed, and the name was to be the National party, incorporating the Liberal and Reform parties. Mr. Murdoch: Was that agreed to? Mr. Coates: Yes, agreed to between the two leaders, as my statement to the House indicated. Then my thunder was "pinched/ . Afterwards, of course, the next difficulty was immediate reconstruction. It has been stated definitely from the Opposition benches that there were no conditions. I do not know whether they know it or not. but 1 say definitely there were conditions. Members: What were they? Mr. Coates: 1 am not proposing to give the conditions which were talked of between four walls, which I am afraid I am not at liberty to mention. Mr. Holland: Why mention it- Was it between the leaders? Mr. Coates: The hon. gentleman is not concerned. There were conditions, and one was quite clear, and it has been talked of generally outside that I had the resignations of my Ministers, and that they should be accepted at once, but that it would be very unsatisfactory if all those men went back again. The Prime Minister suggested that if the two parties joined up that would have accomplished the purpose; there would be a new party immediately. "The difficulty was I could not carry out immediate reconstruction, and that meant more than the plain fact. I could put back a certain number of our own members; that was not the point at all, it was one way of putting it, but not the correct way." The stumbling Mock was reconstruction, and what would reconstruction mean? Until the Leader of -the Oppogition agreed to his making use of details of what was discussed, Mr. Coates could not do so. He refused to reconstruct immediately. If they desired to form the party now, all right. Mr. Masters: With reconstruction ? The Prime Minister: I will not reconstruct immediately. Labour members: Oh, call it off. Mr. Forbes: You were given a free hand. The Prime Minister: That's all very ■well, but I'm taking no free hands with an undertaking of that kind. Mr. Masters: You were given a free hand by Mr. Wilford'e statement in the House. The Prime Minister: I know exactly where I am. If they desire now to form one party then the way is quite open. Mr. Forbes: What is it? To join the Reform party? The Prime Minister: It can't be a Reform party if hon. members of that side join it. The Prime Minister said if they could even now form a party to go to tne country together, let them do so. Mr. Holland: Why discuss a bargain inside the House which does not interest the House and is not the business of 'he House ? The Prime Minister said the c.lternative was to form a new party now and come back after the election "and reconstruct. Mr. Murdoch said the Liberals had agreed to leave reconstruction in the hands of the Prime Minister, together with the selection of Ministers. The party would have to be a completely new one, not a conjunction of the Liberal and Reform parties. Immediate reconstruction was wanted with a new policy, and the suggestion was made that the new party might adjourn for a time, meet the House, and then «r 0 to the country. It was obvious thai for Liberals to amalgamate under the present Ministry would be tantamount to joining the Reform party, and neither Mr. Murdoch nor his colleagues were prepared to do that. Reformers advocated the name "Nationalist" and the Liberals the name of the "National Liberals" for the new party, but thie was not definitely decided because the whole thing hinged on when reconstruction could take place.