“POLITICAL CHAOS”

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 8

“POLITICAL CHAOS”

Palmerston Asks for Fusion

PUBLIC MEETING

Dominion Special Sebvicb.

Palmerston North, May 7,

To give consideration to the proposal for the formation of a National Party and to the Prime Minister's offer to the Leader of the Opposition and the reply given by the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, a public meeting of citizens was held at Palmerston North to-night. Mr. M. H. Oram presided, and associated with hir-t were Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., and the mayor, Mr. A. J. Graham.

‘The following resolution was passed:— “That this meeting, representative of the citizens of Palmerston North and district, having considered the suggestion made by the Prime Minister and the manifesto issued by the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, is of opinion that in order to ensure security, to engender confidence, to enhance the country’s credit, and to avoid any possibility of political chaos and confusion, there should be formed from the present political parties a National Government to carry the country through the present chaos,” “The farmers of New Zealand are one with you in demanding something better than we have received from the Leader of the. Opposition in regard to the matter of fusion: Farmers think, as you think, that there must be a grouping of the moderate section and the formation of a strong Government,” said Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., Dominion president of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Polson said that there was a spirit of unrest abroad which was seeking a short cut 'to shed the follies of the country. He instanced New South Wales and Australia, but the people had failed to see that New Zealand might be in a similar position if counsel were not taken.

A motion endorsing the action of Mr. Coates in declining to enter a coalition as it was considered fusion would not do away with party politics, was lost on being put to the meeting.