PRESIDENT RESIGNS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1936, Page 12

PRESIDENT RESIGNS

SIR GEORGE WILSON'S FIRM STAND

LOYALTY TO NEW LEADER

(By Telegraph—l'vcsa Association.)

AUCKLAND, November .1.7.

The resignation of Sir George Wilson from lliu oflice ol prosident of the National Political Parly is announced. 'Hits development, which follows closely on the tense political situation which arose from the resignation of the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes as Leader of the Opposition, is expected to have an important, bearing on the future of the Opposition in Parliament.

In announcing his resignation, Sir George said that a state of affairs had been reached in the activities of the party which made his action definite and irrevocable. When Parliamentary members of the National Party chose the Hon. Adam Hamilton as their leader at the close of the session recently, Sir George said, assurances were given that there would be absolute loyally to Ihe new leader. Ihe selection of Mr. Hamilton was subsequently endorsed by the Dominion Council of the party, which met in Wellington at the

same time,

"I now find that a loyal following for Mr. Hrrnilton is not assured," he said. "As recently as last week there was an effort in Auckland to have the matter of the leadership reconsidered, apparently with a view to replacing Mr. Hamilton by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P. for Egmoiit. The party as constituted chose Mr. Hamilton and owes him undivided loyalty. Personally I cannot and will not be a party to these political manoeuvrings and, although my best efforts have been put forward to build up a sound political organisation on sound conservative lines, I now feel that those efforts cannot further be of use to the National Party." DEVELOPMENT OF CRISIS. Sir George declined to discuss publicly at any greater length the events leading up to his resignation, but from other sources it is gathered that a crisis occurred last week at a meeting of the divisional council of the party in Auckland, when a resolution was carried requesting the Dominion Council to reopen the question of the leadership. The resolution, it is understood, referred to the cold reception given in Auckland to the selection of Mr. Hamilton, and to the preference of supporters of the party for Mr. Wilkinson as the new leader owing to his former independence from both Reform and United Parties. Apparently it was also stated that Mr. Hamiltpn had been elected to the leadership with a margin of one vote, although it is known that at the caucus, when the selection was made, a group of members successfully opposed any suggestion that a ballot should be held, and that ultimately ; the choice of Mr. Hamilton was made unanimously by Parliamentary members of the party. Even before the caucus, at the close of the session of Parliament, the choice of a successor to Mr. Forbes had given rise to considerable differences of opinion among members of the Opposition, and there were times when the differences between former Reform and United Party members became more marked than ever before. There was a particularly frank discussion of the position at the caucus last month, and it was thought that this would clear the political air and allow Mr. Hamilton an opportunity to weld the two sections of his party into a permanent alliance. However, subsequent events have proved that a cleavage still exists, particularly as it is stated that at least one member of the Parliamentary party has been taking an active part in an attempt to have the leadership question reviewed. DANGER OF A SPLIT. Those in touch with the political situation do not attempt to disguise the fact that if the movement to jettison Mr. Hamilton in favour of Mr. Wilkinson spreads to any extent, there is a very definite risk of a split in the Opposition. Some Reform members are even of the opinion that a break would be desirable. They hold that their partnership with the United Party has never been a success and that the alliance brought about by the critical situation in 1931 should be dissolved, thus bringing to a close a case of adversity making strange bedfellows. When the Coalition was first formed in 1931, many Reform members and supporters were against the proposal. However, the union was made, and it is a matter of common knowledge that the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and his colleagues, representing the Reform section of the Coalition, bore the greatest share of the heavy administrative burden during the difficult years of the depression. After the defeat of the Coalition Government at the General Election last year the question of the leadership of the Opposition immediately arose, and it is believed that Mr. Forbes held that, as retiring Prime Minister, he had an automatic claim to the position. According to reliable reports Mr. Coates, at the caucus immediately following the resignation of the last Government, pointed out that members of the Opposition were still members of a coalition, an attempt to weld permanently the Reform and United Parties not having been made at that stage. Mr. Coates held that the question of leadership in the first place should bo discussed between Mr. Forbes and himself as heads of the respective .parties, but this course was not followed and Mr. Forbes assumed the leadership. CHOICE OF NEW LEADER. Parliament had not been in session for long this year when it became apparent that under Mr. Forbes's leadership the Opposition was not functioning as a team. Towards the middle of the year there was a demand from members of the party, both inside and outside the House of Representatives, for a change, but after consideration it was decided to postpone selection of a new leader until after the close of the session. At this time a meeting of the provisional Dominion council in Wellington decided that Mr. Hamilton would prove the most acceptable successor to Mr. Forbes. It was generally considered that the matter would be amicably settled along these lines, but it was not long before a marked suggestion of intrigue became apparent in Opposition circles. Mr. Wilkinson accepted an invitation to join the Opposition, and immediately a group of former United Party members put him forward as a candidate for the leadership.

For some weeks there was an air of restiveness among members of the National Party. Prominent Reformer;; determined that they could not accept Mr. Wilkinson as their leader, and there are grounds for believing that the threat of a split was only removed when the choice of Mr. Hamilton was made. Hopes that this would mean a permanent healing of the breach have not materialised, and, an the light of evidence that a section of the party is still trying to engineer a change, it would not be surprising to see marked changes in the constitution of the Opposition.