PARTY HOSTILITIES RESUMED.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15313, 29 July 1915, Page 6

PARTY HOSTILITIES RESUMED.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") July 28. Tho last of tlie many caucuses neld in co.inexi.Jii with tho National Cabine; u.(j ( :.j.s„i took in ace to-day, and t-iie result has been that the protracted negotiations have, after ali, iailed to pioi du:o tho suggested combination of tho tno principal parties in tho licusc. 'li\a o;>podtio:i caucus which was held this morning, and at which the Labour members were present, lasted about two and a half hours. At its con--..ision t>ir Josei-.ii Waui ha id that ho had no statement to make as to the :vftu!t of tho deliberations, remarking that ho would first require to sco tho Priino Minister and announce the decision to him. From other sources, however, it quietly b.came known that the proposal ' had been rejected, and that all the ef- _! forts to secure a National Cabinet had been of no avail. Tho mooting, like those hold previously by the Opposition, was not unanimous. It is stated that about four-fifths of tho party were opposed to coalition, only onefifth supporting it. It has been understood throughout tho negotiations that Sir Joseph Ward has strongly favoured the proposed coalition. No official statement on the subject was made during tho afternoon. A meeting of tho Government Party wa s held at 5.30 p.m., and it concluded shortly before 6ix o'clock. CHANGE IN THE HOUSE. It was evident very shortly alter tho House met this afternoon that tho party truce had come to an end, and that a resumption of hostilities was tacitly understood among both parties. Mr McCalluni made a direct attack on the Government by an accusation of party bias in appointments to the Otago Land Beard, blfore the House had been sitting much, more than half an hour, and tho Leader of tho Opposition shortly afterwards showed that tins attack was not a solitary aberration from tho policy of tho party, by tfimself criticising the Government severely in connexion with Native land purchases in tho North Island, and immediately afterwards with regard to a diminution in tho profits of the Stato Advances Department. The least initiated occupant of the Strangers' Gallery could plainly havo seen that tho attitude of the Opposition was not consistent with an abolition of party feeling, such as tho establishment of a National Cabinet would have implied.