A NATIONAL PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 130, 5 June 1925, Page 8

A NATIONAL PARTY

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—-Last November, in an interview wjth the Press, I strongly urged that the time was most opportune for fusion between the old parties, and by this course would the party system be reinstated, which, since the advent of the Labour Party, has censed to exist. I have since, in the Press, adumbrated these views. Judging by the letters I have received from many/well-known and prominent public men heartily supporting "the vi»w s 1 have enumerated, I am convinced tn=-fc fusion has the support of the great majority 01 the electors. If an intelligent democracy exists, which I believe is a, fact then any other course seems unthinkable. No Government with two opposing factions in the House can possibly do justice to themselves in the country. Iheir every Act on critical issues must be trimmed so as to deflect the blows of the Opposition—an Opposition that is an unholy and incompatible alliance. From views expressed by,the leading men of the old parties, the fact is beyond question that no issue exists which should wreck fusion. It is equally clear that the leaders themselves realise the urgent necessity for fusion, but t,hej seem to lack the courage to cross the Rubicon. It may require big men r.o surrender a. temporary "strategical party advantage for the benefit of the State, and I believe the leaders o[ the Reform Tarty would so act. In my humble opinion, delay is fatal. It may be that the new leader, out ot loyalty to the memory of his late chief, may decide that the policy he intended placing before Parliament should be viewed as immutable, but this is not the view of the country. On the other hand, does not & great-opportunity exist to pay a tribute to the deceased statesman's memory by his old colleagues and opponents conferring and deciding to bury the past, and centre their efforts on promulgating a policy truly, national in its every sense. Such a'course is statesmanlike; any other is the perpetuation of petty-fogging politics. The fusionists having settled on a national policy, the question "of the allocation of portfolios would be the next, step. As nn,v iiU-ntified with the Reform Party in His past, and on.:- who for yents. woi-lc-d energelirally in l.veping its i: .'.iiso („ tbt- InrelYoni iii Southland, 1 would welcome tlie inclusion in tlio C.-tb-inot of ■prominent Oppositionists, being convinced with ;i strong National Government immeasurable " Greater- service would be i-ciiderri! to the Htnie limn wlrtt v.-milil be possibly under a irianguhir see-li(mi.--ts MVilcm. X..w .ii'iid,.iiil,tcrllv is tlif! appointed (imp. A. fusion cuiild Ije effected' in a spirit ul friendliiicss. and good-fellow-

ship; delay means the new leader meeting the House with a Reform policy. Hint-policy becomes a bone of contention ; bitter and acrimonious speeches become inevitable; each party is fighting for its political existence, and the speeches are for the electors, to whom an appeal will shortly be made. Candidates aro burnishing their political armour, i ana, instead of influence being exercised j towards fusion, tho leaders and their canIclulates will be exercising every effort to bring disunion among tho electors.I see tho point stressed in certain quarters that because the Reform Party is ; numerically the stronger of the two old parties that their will should prevail, and their interests placed paramount. If the interests of country and not party are placed in the forefront, then, if the Reiorm leaders are ."big" enough to meet a critical situation, I have every hope of seeing the great issue of fusion accomplished.—l am, etc., ™ , , L W. RAYMOND., Woodslee Downs, Southland, 3rd June.