POLITICAL TRUCE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 8

POLITICAL TRUCE

Activity of National Party ** TENETS MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN ” “The National Party must be kept alive, so that in by-elections or the general election falling due next year, we shall not have forgotten the tenets of the party,” said Dr. J. Guthrie when introducing Mr F. W. Doidge, member for Tauranga, to the National Club in Christchurch last night. The club rooms were crowded, loud speakers relaying Mr Doidge’s speech to every room. As they knew, there was a truce between the two political parties, said Dr. Guthrie. They had arrived at the stage when, for the time being, hostilities were almost suspended. “But we have not forgotten our creed and our duty to the country,” he said, “and this club, when the truce is in being, is the only place where we can hold our own meetings and talk politics and hold our party together.” The club had another duty. It gave facilities for a deeper intimacy between members. The club opened with no more than 300 members and it now had a membership exceeding 600. He was confident that before the year was ended the membership would reach 1000 or more. Every new member meant a serious contribution to the work of the National Party. .