A NEW LEADER?

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1924, Page 8

A NEW LEADER?

RECONSTITUTED LIBERAL .PARTY

SOUTHERN PAPER'S SUGGESTION.

Discussing, the need for reunion of all the Liberal forces under one leader, who "need not necessarily be Mr. Wilford," the "Southland Daily News," a Liberal paper, says there is no absolute test of pohtical popularity except a General Election, but the evidences of the decline of Reform credit rannot be ignored. -

CHANGE FORM REFORM DESIRED.

"The demand for a farmers' party in the Prime Minister's own province "and the declaration of confidence in Liberalism in the Prime Minister's own town, suggest that a change is desired, but manifestations of enthusiasm are not votes, as was eveidenced after the triumphal campaign of Sir Joseph AVard through the North Island in 1919," says the- "News." "He obtained votes of confidence almost everywhere, but his candidates were no.t supported.' We are convinced that the people of New Zealand are experiencing an awakening, and considerable colour is lent to this assumption by the restlessness of classes which previously remained loyal to the Government in spite of its failures and its folly. "We do not anticipate that this impulse will lead to an improved vote for the Liberal-Labour Party as at present constituted, but we can hope with some reason that a reconstructed Liberal Party composed of all the sanely democratic elements that have drifted "into other channels would be acceptable. It is conceivable that Pukekohc is sufficiently angry with Mr. Massey to give him a warning, but its indignation will not carry it as far as to support Mr. Massey's enemies at the General Election.

"It would be difficult to say what inspires the change of heart in Reform circles. There is no inspiration in the speeches of any of those Liberal orators, who have taken the platform, only the never-dying traditions of the party may have induced the respective audiences to favour the cause of the invaders. There can be hope only in a re-shuffle of the parties which plays true Liberals as trumns from throe packs. , Reform-Liber--als, Liberals, and Labour-Liberals must respond to the tocsin before there can be any chance of stability, and it would be better to 'et matters remain as they are than to. .appeal for an expression of confidence which would repeat the unsatisfactory verdict of last election. MR. WILFORD'S LEADERSHIP." "The need of a change is urgent enough, but it is useless to attempt any serious work of reconstruction until all the Liberals are in the one camp and under the one leader. That leader need not necessarily be Mr.-Wilford, and we are inclined to believe it would not be the member for Hutt. He has the ability but' no one is disposed to take him seriously. Had Mr. Wilford inspired confidence in 1922, the result would have placed his party 'in control of the Treasury benches, without assistance from extreme Labour. All the qualifications in the world are useless unless they can inspire confidence in those who make and break Governments, and Mr. Wilford's record shows him to be a failure as a leader, as Sir Joseph Ward was before him. When practically every member that .sits on the Opposition benches is convinced that he is not the leader they would choose, how can the public feel any.enthusiasm for the.choice?" ■'

Whether it desires to indicate that a new leader has been found, or-whether it means, to express the -wish that he will yet be discovered, the "Daily News" concludes.:—

"The force to be loosed in New Zealand in the course of a few weeks will, we hope, operate under the direction of a man who has demonstrated his sincerity and his ability to rule in the most convincing manner, and it is probable that he would capture the popular imagination at the first assault. There is a demand for new control, and Liberalism cannot afford to weaken its cause by trusting a pilot who has' already revealed that he does not know the soundings of the human heart, and is a navigator that may at any time lead his crew into difficulties." . ■ . . •