POLITICAL UNITY NOT REACHED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23916, 7 April 1943, Page 2

POLITICAL UNITY NOT REACHED

REASON FOR GENERAL ELECTION

ATTITUDE OF NATIONAL PARTY

“Though the National Party is certainly not responsible for the continuance of party government during the war, we have no option to making the requisite preparations now that the Government has decided that an election must be held,’’ said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) yesterday, commenting on the joint statement of the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination) and the Hon. A. Hamilton (Minister of Supply), deploring the holding of a General Election. Mr Holland said he agreed with the two Ministers that it was deplorable that sufficient unity to avoid an election had not been reached.

The question of holding an election was debated only a few weeks ago by the House of Representatives, said Mr Holland, but Messrs Coates and Hamilton had neither spoken nor voted against the proposal to hold the election this year, although they were given the opportunity. Lately, predictions had been made that the war in the Pacific would last at least another three or four years, said Mr Holland. That meant that if no election was held, a party government, elected in peace time and which had spurned any move to get genuine unity for the duration of the war, , would be endowed with the unprecedented life of eight or nine years, and perhaps more. He doubted if even those persons who felt misgivings about the holding of an election wanted that to happen. South Africa was to have a general election this year, while in the United States, where the congressional elections were held as recently as last November, next year’s presidential campaign was already getting under way. "Actually, I doubt if there has ever been greater interest in political principles than is the esse to-day,” said Mr Holland. "Men of all races and creeds are aware that the moral issues at stake in the war cannot be separated from political questions. In some quarters, this restlessness finds expression in criticism of the party system, and we hear a clamour for the election of independent members. It is perhaps not realised that the stabilising influence of the party system has proved indispensable in democratic government. the onl • alternative so far discovered being totalitarianism." Independence Question Except on motions of no-confidence in the Government, when members were naturally expected to conform with their election pledges, the National Parly did not place its members in strait jackets, said Mr Holland. The former custom, by which they were expected to vote as decided by the leader, had been ended when he became leader, and members were now free to vote according to their consciences. As an example, Mr F. W. Doidge had spoken and voted against the extension of the life of Parliament this year, while Sir Apirana Ngata, at the last session, had protested against the holding of an election this year, yet both members remained valued members of the party. Another case was that of Mr H. S. S. Kyle, who voted against the Opposition on the River Control and Soil Conservation Bill, as it was recognised he had a perfect right to do. . "Men of independent character ana fresh and vigorous outlook should certainly be welcomed in our political life.- said Mr Holland. "The party system, however, does not exclude such men. Indeed, they are able, under it. ,-o 'ong as their party is not dominated by outside agencies, to exert much more influence and do more lor their constituencies and New Zealand than they could possibly do as mdethe selection of National Party candidates, Mr Holland said the party conference last year had ruled that selections made in 1941 should be deemed to have lapsed, the purpose bein'’ to give electorates a free hand where circumstances might have altered. Members of the party in the various electorates were now proceeding to the selection or endorsement; of candidates where they had not already done so. ■ ...