THE SUGGISTED COALITION.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12936, 16 October 1907, Page 8

THE SUGGISTED COALITION.

MODERATES VERSUS SOCIALISTS

VIEW'S FROM BOTH BIDES,

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.")

WELLINGTON, Octaber 15. The suggestion as to c ix**sible coalition between Sir Joseph Wtard and the present Opposition Party has not aroused any great interest iti the House so far. 1 have, however, obtained interviews with two members representing different views ou the matter, and these will show tho light in winch tie suggestion is regarued by opposite sections of the iioiuse. The first mennoer seen was one of the most radical members or the Government Purty, and dm not take tue kiea of a coaiitiou in a serious light. -I have no doubt, , ' he said, "tnat vie suggestion owed iu> origin to the attiire ot certain nieiubere to get on-*>iue with tho Government, anil who recognise tnat the present Ministry, by reason oi' the tactlul course tiiat it has "ursued, has obtained a very strong Position in the country lrom which it would bo very diiiicult to oust them ror some time to come."

'•You do not think then that there is any prospect ot a coalition?"'

•'Well, juoging by the views expressed l>y moaibors of the Government side of the iriouae, I am satisfied that tho suggestion will come to nothing. Past History shows that generally coalitions have not been a sucwus, and adiiiiiiiscrat.ons toniiei out ot such union© nave generally had but a snort reign of ouice-. In the oresent cai-o til-ore

is no need whatever tor a coaution with tho Opposition. Ihe present .ainL>try h.ijj siiown that it is oomtKijca ot' strong .uinidteis, and it is preteedni'g on unos oi pjuuy winch meet wiui tne- approval cl tno xiou&o and party. iiiu iaci taiat uio tae Govern-

iiicn Uias pusaoa a larilt aid, a laxauoii i>.n, anu iii a Land iiill, aillX OlUur UltJiisUlLo, la U dpillluiU tL&llii.iriiiai to tuo uuiuiuucuvo auiiiLy oi int.' caoiiiet. - '

mc Uitiiuuer went on to say- that in luo ca&o oi tne present l'xeuiiier. cneio vvai no ieeinijs oi j-tiiunai ag.iiiiiiC tne muni o» tne uovvi'iuiicut, iuCill iii llaU Uv>e.;l U.Ullilu>lCU 1U lUO j»aat. liio uovuinuieat, no ea, nad luts <ouuuciiee c-i ail seciions oi' tue parly, lncuiuniig txie rauicai c'KJineuc, cujcn vvuu H-β ii>i co, iiau tiucvt'edi-cl in gti-titig ouveiui ot ii 6 Vitus on iho lauu anu otnur iiuuteiioiiji in tiie prograuiiue Oi tlie iJl'laeilt M-aoIOU.

"i look upon tue suggestion of a couutioii," coutuiutu tiio uitmiOor, "as a uevice on tne p. t n oi tne opposition to stimulate tue lormation ol an indepeiiuent Juoour paity, with a view to tne liiixjiai vote at the next eioctiou, and thus Jetting m a number ot Opposition canaxubtiis. 'ihe independent liabour party will no douot uso tile suggestion v«a least the Opposition hope bo), ac a peg upon wxxicii to hang tne assertion that tne Waid Goverxuneni is not so pronouncedly Liberal as it made out, and that there ia not a very jnarked lino of demarcation between tho Government and the Opposition; hence tne necessity lor a new Progressive torce in New Zealand politics. .

"Do you think that there is any necessity in the interest* of labour tor tho formation of a separate Labour party?"

"No, I do not. The Labour ana Radical members, with the assistance of a number of country members, are at present securing legislation in the interests of Labour, but if any independent Labour party jwtnNP formed, the result must be to alienate the support now reccf/ed from country members, who, it must not be forgotten, form the majority of the Government party.' .

The member said that he believed the present Government would come back after the next election with a good working majority. , "It ie ~ossible," he said, "that it mey lose one or two seats in the North Island, but a reduction of the present majority would tend to strengthen the discipline and organisation of tho party." ANOTHER VIEW OF THE SITUATION. A member of the Opposition Party, who, on being asked for his opinion and acquaint**! with the views expressed by the foregoing member* said: "I look upon such expressions from a representative of the Socialist-'c element a<? an evidence of a forlorn hope. In the past the members of extreme views have bwn able to force the Leader of the House to give way to Socialistic pressure in tho direction of measures providing for oolketiive ownership, interference with land holdings, and so forth. These members' naturally do not deeire a coalition to take place between the moderate section of the Government Party and the Opposition Party. They foresee that if such an event came to pass, they would bo forced to form a party of their own, with no prospect of being in anything but a hopeless minon'ty aa compared to the strength of the united force , , that would be in a position, to pursue a policy of safe, moderate and yet libernl legislation for Xew Zealand.

"There can be no doubt. ,, the member continued, "that tho late Mr Seddon was to a very largo extent driven by the JSoeialistic element in his party to do +knt whioli he scarcely believed himsolf to he in tho beet interests of the country. The success of these members in inflnenc'np Mr Sleddon hn* led tVm to beliVye that they en carry on the same nol'ey, and porto nn decree, with Sir Jo-oph Ward. Whether they will be "bY to do this, however, yet remains to h« <scon."

"Whit have you to isay to the statement that the siiKTst'vi <wa.Ktion is a device on the part of tho Opposition P"

"It ie wrong to say that the siighns cotio from the Opposition. TV suK?frtion has come from outside some of whom are in sympathy with the Premier, and others with Mr but who all reongnise the <T rd'inlly decreasing d fforences between the two sidre, and the danger of n three party system, dominated to a !nr<r<> extent" by the Socialistic extremiste. It is also incorrect to cay that tho country would not have a policy of progress with Mr Massey aa a meml>er of the Administration. Anyone who reads tho records of Parliament, and knows what Mr MasEey has done, miwt bo convinced that h« ie a trii« Liberal, and that whether he was in office on his own account or in coalition with anybody else, the Legislation would bo progressive and liberal in spirit Prudence is not the watchword of the Socialistic section of tho Hou-<\ and the stirr.tilating force referred to by tho member you have in-te-viewed. not Ruided by prudence, a danger to trueLiberalism which is recognised by all po" n !e of moderate views.*' "You do not, I suppose, regird the dividnsr line between the Moderates of the prrsrnt Government party nr.d the as a very wide one' ,.

"No: there is no doubt that sin™ the present Ministry into officrthe legislation proposrd has been fo »nmr> pr+ent modified, and that ernerally the Moderates of the Government side of the House and the present Opposition have been gradually approaching one another. Indeed, it is undoubted that suggestions from the Opposition side of the House have bwn accepted by the Government and em-

bodied in proposed legislation, and 8K in in increasing degree in late years It would be very unfortunate if 'No" Zealand drifted into a threeparty sv 6 uun. The evtls ia Australia of such "a system are apparent, and it should be the aim °* ' c,aM w fc r « to avert such a misfortune. Whatever may happen, the Opposition will, ! h.v™ no doubt, stand by the pnnAid option to all lands, and gran [at iho original value, to remove all important points of distinction in regard to the land question.