FUSION OF PARTIES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 6

FUSION OF PARTIES

A REFORM VIEW

MAINTENANCE OF STATUS QUO FOR THE PRESENT.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day

One view of the political situation | which will be strongly put, forward at the conference of the Reform Party next week is that the status quo' should be maintained until Mr. Downie . Stewart has returned to New Zealand, and that until that event Sir Francis Bell should lie asked to continue in office as Prime i Minister. It is argued that, considering that Mr. Stewart and Mr. Coates indisputably hold pre-einineni. positions in the party, it would/ be unfair to Mr. Stewart that the question of actual leadership should be determined in his absence; that even though a cable message should be received from him signifying his willingness to stand aside in Mr. Coates's favour, it would be evident that that was only submission to what appeared to be the course desired in New Zealand at the moment, and that Mr. Stewart ought to be given time to gauge the situation on the spot. Besides, urge thii supporters of this view, delay as ajaiusfc tfcs immediate formation of a .Cabinet from the Reform Party is all in favour of the much-desired''fusion with the Liberals. At present there is a strong section of leading Liberals friendly to fusion. If before any authorised negotiation with them are set afoot the Reformers were to choose their own Ministry instead of giving the Liberals a- voice in the matter after anialgarnation, is decided upon, the door would practically be closed in the faces of the Liberals, and the psychological moment lost. Moreover, it is urged that "if fusion is to come about, its principal advantage will be lost if it. is deferred until after the General Election, and that advantage, besides bringing under one banner those politicians whose views on tho main questions of the day are not similar,- is the avoidance of three-corner-ed contests at the end of this year. At least one member of the House who subscribes to the view generally reflected in the foregoing is Mr. A. Harris. M.P. for Waitemata. As one who considers that iE new appointments to Cabinet are to be made he is not without claims, Mr. Harris submits that at the present moment members should sink their personal ambitions and look to the interests of the country, which lie holds lio in the direction of assuring a stable Government. It is therefore his opinion that for the present the vacant portfolio ahouM .remain unallotted pending v.«gotiations jviti £he Liberal^ and egrtflittly

that Mr.- Stewart should be given thp, opportunity of having a personal voice in the future actions of the party, even though it may be that Mr. Stewart wouldcheerfully * range himself under Mr. Coates's Premiership. This course, Mr. Harris states, he will strer.uouslj advance at the party gathering,