"HUGE EXPERIMENT"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 121, 26 May 1925, Page 8

"HUGE EXPERIMENT"

MR. COATES AS PRIME MINISTER,

Interviewed by the "Lyttelton Times," the Hon. G. W. Russell, who was one of the Liberals who held office in the -National Cabinet, stated that the elevation of Mr. Coates to the Prime Ministerslup would be a huge experiment after so short a career in Parliament and public life. "While proving an excellent administrator of the Departments under -his control, it is recognised, even by leading members of the Eeform Party, that up to the present Mr. Coates has not shown evidence of tho qualities o£ statesmanship or Imperialism -which were so marked in his predecessor," he remarked. "Personally, I am of opinion that the best solution of the difficulties would be, if it were practicable or possible, for Sir Francis Bell to accept a aeat in the Lower House and become Prime Minister in fact instead of in the acting capacity ho has held for severalmonths past."

An early election was predicted by Mr. Russell, who said that, with Sir. Coates as Prime Minister, there was a possiblity of an appeal to the country early in tho session. He thought that probably the Eeform Party would not be averse to a winter election.

"The question of a fusion between the Liberal and Reform Parties is now a dominant one," Mr. Russell continued, "but it is recognised that this cannot be effected until after a general election. There may be a number of triangular contests with a similar result to that which put the Labour Party in power in Great Britain. In the meantime I would express the strong hope that, if a fusion is the final way out of the difficulties now before the Dominion, it will be one in -which tho Liberals are tha senior partner and not the junior, &s was the case in the National War Cabinet. _ Hence Liberal organisations and associations should be alivo to the necessity of setting their house in order and preparing for whatever may happen.' 1