POLITICAL IMPUDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1928, Page 6

POLITICAL IMPUDENCE.

The only objection we would raise to the comment of the Acting-Leader of the United Party on the charge of vote-splitting is that Mr, Forbes is too polite. If he had said that the charge was in the circumstances a piece of impudence he would have spoken no more than the truth. Consider Reform's record in this matter. It abolished the second ballot, and in doing so promised to put something better in its place. That promise it has not kept. When Liberalism and Labour divided the anti-Government forces, and let Reform in on a minority vote, were any regrets expressed at Reform headquarters? The air must have been full of chuckles of delight. Further, despite its professed abhorrence of Labour, it opposed sitting Liberal members and presented seats to Mr. Holland. Now, when a new party has been formed for the purpose of consolidating the moderate anti-Reform forces, it complains about vote-splitting. The effrontery of the thing is staggering. Who but the Reform Party is responsible for the electoral system that permits vote-splitting? And why should not a new party be formed? It is a free country—or it used to be. Reform, of course, regards a two-party system in which it has an indefinite lease of office as political perfection, and works unceasingly to that end. If the people should prefer or more parties, and turn Reform out, Reform will have to .make the best of a distressingly ungrateful and degenerate world.