THE BUSINESS MEN'S MEMORANDUM

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1931, Page 6

THE BUSINESS MEN'S MEMORANDUM

(To "the Editor.) Sir, —Who" will say now that romance is dead—that the age bf miracles is. pastor that we may not find, even in the dusty arena of politics, some touchingly beautiful incident to kindle afresh our belief in the nobility "of man? For we have just witnessed an incident so delightful that it will illumine our dreary lives for many days to come. We have seen nothing less than the inspiring spectacle of a number of prominent business men in complete agreement and ; harmony with the members of the Socialist-Labour Party! Who would have imagined it possible?: Some may even interpret: it as a sign of the coming of the Millennial Dawn. .The. lambs and the lions are standing in % circle bleating and roaring.; the same .chorus. For months the lions of the Socialist'Party have; been hoping for a fusion of Reform-and United. For months their organ, thek "Worker," hag been expressing that ardent desire of all true followers of Mr. H. B.i Holland. When Mr. Forbes made his proposal■ (or 5.0.5.) to Mr. Coates, theedit'or of the "Maoriland Worker" .made no attempt' to conceal his glee. When the:Reform Party rejected the proposal, the following issue bf the "Worker" was full of chagrin. Anyone may look up the files of the' "Worker" in the Public Library and see for himself how the Socialists were ardently hoping for fusion —and how bitterly disappointed they were when their hope was dashed. The other advocates of fusion—apart from the Socialists —are certain business men in the cities. They cherish the same hope that the Socialists cherish, that Eeforrn and United will "get together." Of course it may be suggested that the Labour politicians are more astute and farseeing (in politics) than are these business men. It may be suggested that these business men are babes ■;■ or innocents abroad—in comparison with Messrs. Holland.Fraeer, and Semple—when they stray from the businesses they, do understand into the politics they do not. It may be that, with' the best intentions in the world, these business men, by Bhoutingfor fusion, are being cleverly led, blindly, into playing the Socialists' game. ' Let us./give the Socialists credit for knowing their own game, for knowing what suits them best. They clearly want Reform and United to amalgamate, for they believe that such a step would be in the political interests of' the Socialist-Labour Party. Some business men also wish Reform and United to amalgamate, though it may be presumed that their reason for wishing it is different from the Labour Party's reason; and it may well be/as I have suggested, that they are less politically astute than Messrs. Holland, Frasei", and Thorn, and are thus being misled into playing right intp the Labour Party's hands. Be that as it may, let us rejoice "in the unusual and delightful spectacle of some business men and all the Socialists in perfect agreement and harmony of desire. ; It is-not likely that the spectacle will last very, long: the business men will probably wake up to the fact that they have advocated fusion under a misapprehension of its political results as foreseen by the Labour Party. Then we shall no longer sec this sweet concord between business men and "bolshies." Let us, therefore, enjoy the spectacle while we may; probably >ve shall never have tho chance of seeing -its like again.—l am, etc.,. [ MALVERNIAN,. ["Malvernian's inaccurate arid inapposite parallel of the Millenial Dawn, with lambs and lions bleating and roai-ing the same .chorus, is almost as irrelevant as are his arguments. One might as well quote "And the lion shall eat straw like "the ox," and hold that this settled the issue. 'The argument for a National Party cannot'be disposed of by pleading that Labour would welcome it —therefore it must be n;rong. Members'of' other parties are expected, to think for themselves and on positive lines; not merely _ to bo negatively ■...unoriginal, anti-Labomy and pro-nothing.; Thecbusiness men have submitted substantial reasons for a Union of moderate~parties..They have shown that the great aim • which these parties are pursuing—the restoration of a sound national economy—is more certainly attainable by joint actjon: than by continued division...:. ."Malyerniari" ■ ;may hold that the business' men/are "babes' or innocents abroad." "When->.-,tHey;- ; -stray from the businesses they '■;] do.-undei&tiind into the politics they do hot"; but New Zealand's national problem is a business problem. The business men may not -understand Bome party politics; many1 others also find them hard to understand. Possibly the reason for this, is that the attention of the politicians has been so^closely concentrated on tactics that tactical "advantage has become for them an end in itself, more important-than': the national'result. In other words the preset'vatidn of the party has come to mean more than the eonsptjuenco, which may be retardation of the restoration of the country, or oven imperilling that restoration. —Kd.]

Mr. W. R. M'Kenzio has been appointed superintendent' of mercantile marine for JToxton, and Mr. E. J. "Williams has been appointed to » similar position at Kaikoura.