A UNITED PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2500, 29 June 1915, Page 4

A UNITED PARLIAMENT

The stories which have been in circulation concerning a possible agreement between the leaders in Parliament involving something more than a mere party truce may be deemed to receive some confirmation from the fact disclosed in the official report of the Government caucus that the question of coalition was discussed at yesterday's gathering. It is not an easy matter to suggest any definite basis of agreement between the rival political parties, and it is cjitito possible that no satisfactory agreement could be arrived at. But it must he plain to everyone lliat however desirable a truce to party conflict might be any slep which would go further and ensure a whole-hearted unity of effort on all questions pertaining to the Wfjl' H-l.tlllc] lie of pi ill nl'Til?!' I'altlr!. In one sense it may bo'claimed tliat

wo have now a united Parliament, inasmuch as all arc resulutoly deter-lnin-jd ihiit New Zealand shall assist in t-lic war to the utmost of its ability; hut there can be little tloubt that the unity uf effort could and would be greater were the party truce — which after all is a passive force — converted into an alliance, which suggests active co-operation. Naturally any such co-operation would be only for the period of the wsir, and as we have mentioned there are difficulties in the way, but they should not be insuperable if the party leaders are big enough to rise to the occasion.