The Three-Party Bogey.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 60, 2 July 1908, Page 6

The Three-Party Bogey.

In trying to put forward reasons why the electors should discourage the idea of an Independant Labour Party, the Premier suggesjsd the other night that if there were three parties in the New Zealand Parliament the same unsatisfactory state of things would be produced as have retarded legislation in the Federal House. But there is really no parallel at all. If there was a split in the present Government's following owing to the defection of the extreme Labourites, that would not produce three parties; it would simply bring about a coalition between the more conservative 1 of the Government supporters and the Opposition. At present, as the Premier has pointed out, a coalition does not come within the scope of- practical politics, but such a contingency as the Government evidently fears would make a coalition not only desirable, but necessary.. Such a coalition is quite impossible in Australia, because the Reidites and the Deakinites are hopelessly divided on the fiscal question. In this country both parties are protectionist, and rather than allow extremists and Socialists to take charge they would speedily compose their differences. Consequently the three-party idea is simply a bogey, and it has been put forward purely with the object of hardening up the Government following, and keeping it together—Exchange.