THE GOVERNMENT'S PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1928, Page 6

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROSPECTS.

Your correspondent "Once Bitten Twiei Shy" makes some extremely sensible renuuks in his letter to you of the 9th instant. I bin not had the pleasure of reading "Qm Reform's" letter, but I understand by the references to it by your correspondent that it also contained a suitable substitute as a slogan for the Coates party, "Reform and Ruin." However, may I suggest that any attempt oa the part of the present Administration to win the forthcoming election by means of a "confidence slogan" will meet with disaster? I have no hesitation in believing that personalty Mr. Coates is a fin© fellow, but it is his and his party's politics that are disapproved of throughout the Dominion. It was on his name that the present Government gained the Treasury benches by an overwhelming majority at the last elections, and the slogans "The Man Who Gets Things Done" and "Confidence in Coates" were splendid propaganda at that period when the Dominion was still lamenting the loss of Reform's great leader. What is required by the electors to-day is a party that gets things done, and done properly at that, in the interests of the people as a whole and not in the interests of any one particular class. Mr. Coates and his party have failed to administer the affairs of tbii country in a manner that will ensure the return of many Coates-partv candidates at the polls, and his assurances that his party will be returned with a fair majority can be taken with a grain of salt, for that matter rests with the electors, and the electors alone. These electors at last election voted for his party on a wave of enthusiasm, which was brought about by publicity men and supporting journals concentrating on the popularity of Mr. Coates personally as "The Man Who Gets Things Done," whilst at the same time blinding the public as to the ability of his colleagues in the House and the candidates from outside, who were supporting the Coates party. The result was that the country voted for anything which tended to assist "The Man Who Gets Things Done" to power. I doubt if the "stunt" would work again.

JOHN H. GILMOUR, Dominion Publicity Manager, United Party.