NATIONAL PARTY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18722, 19 June 1926, Page 16

NATIONAL PARTY.

: MAKING THE BEST OF IT. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEOBAH.) ' "WELLINGTON, June 18. Tlic National Party met to-day, and Mr G. W. Forbes was re-elected leader of the Party and Mr E. A. Ransom .Whip. ' ' . . In a subsequent interview Mr Forbes stated that the question of...the actioli of the Party during the session was discussed, and it was .decided that, owing to the result of the recent election re-* turning Mr Coates with an overwhelming majority of supporters bound to him by personal pledge,"-it waa more than ever necessary that those memr bers who were free and untrammelled should, maintain a vigilant scrutiny of the Government's proposals and administiation, so that there should ,be no abuse of the autocratic 1 power placed ill the hands of the Prime Minister. The National Party recognised that it was vital to the continuance of the country's prosperity that there should be strict economy in the country's finances, that land settlement should ■ be pushed on vigorously, and that local industries should .be stimulated and encouraged in .every way possible. To that end the Party would endeavour to see that the policy was fully recognised and acted upon by the Government. The Party realise that the smallness of their numbers, and, ,in fact, of the jrhole Opposition, and the great majority of the Government rendered theif task increasingly difficult, as the use of the division lobbies to emphasise the strength of any criticism was absolutely futile. The only avenue through which they could work was argument and criticism, and to that end they; would devote their best energies, leaving the decision and responsibility, as'it must be, in the hands of : ths Prime Minister, who, with the: .great majority ;at his back, had practically been given a dictatorship.