PARTY FUSION

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 53, 26 November 1930, Page 10

PARTY FUSION

Mr. Coates’s Statement VIEW OF MR. RANSOM Matter for Prime Minister By Telegraph—Press Association. Dannevirke, November 25.' Reference to Mr. Coates’s, fusion statement was made by the ActingPrime Minister (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) to-day. .“This is the first definite statement made by Mr. Coates, Leader of the Reform Party, or any other member of the party, as to a definite line of policy upon which fusion can be considered between the Reform and United parties,” said Mr. Ransom. “However, it does not come in tlie form of a definite official statement to the Government, but in a statement given by Mr. Coates to the Press. It was previously stated by Mr. Coates that fundamental differences between the Government and the Reform Party were such as to render fusion impracticable. “While I, as Deputy-Leader of the House of Representatives, and ActingPrime Minister, have very definite views on the seven points enumerated by the right honourable gentleman in the statement referred to, it would neither be fair to the Prime Minister, who is absent from New Zealand, nor to my colleagues in Cabinet, and the Government, to give expression to what those views may be. “If, however, Mr. Coates, on behalf of his party, is prepared to lay before the Government the proposals enumerated, I can assure him and the country that those proposals will receive fair and earnest consideration, always keeping in view what is best in the interests of the Dominion, and not necessarily the interests of the party which I represent. “It can readily be understood,” Mr. Ransom concluded, “that during the absence of the Prime Minister from New Zealand the Government cannot possiblj commit itself In this matter. Should. Mr. Coates be prepared to submit proposals to the Government, then I will undertake to say that a formula will be prepared setting out arguments for- and against the proposals for fusion for submission to the Prime Minister immediately upon bls return to the Dominion.”