THE NEW PARTY

Evening Star, Issue 19639, 19 August 1927, Page 6

THE NEW PARTY

LIBERALS UNCOMPLIMENTARY AUCKLAND MUSSOLINI [Special io the Star.’] AUCKLAND, August 19. Some very uncomplimentary remarks about tho new “ United New Zealand Party ” were made by speakers at the Liberal Party meeting last evening. Dr W. It Horton remarked that Mr Massey had enunciated a Liberal policy in 1911, Unlike Deform, tho Liberal Party had kept its word. Now some of the old Reformers had made the discovery that detective “public opinion ” was after them, and they were trying to put the blame on to someone else. Mr A. Hall Skelton, in speaking of the culture and mental powers of delegates at a recent Liberal conference in Wellington, broke off to ridicule the new party. “You cannot kill brains,” lie declared. “That is why you have got this thing in tho papers to-night. Wo warned you that tho Reformers would come out as independents at the next General Election, and that you must beware. We know what happened. A little body mot at a homo m Rcmuera last night. Tho man who is behind it is ono of tho loading officials of tho Reform Party, a man who thinks ho can run tho civic and political affairs of Auckland, and bo tho Auckland Mussolini.” “ They put forward as Prime Minister a man who was, politically and economically, a baby in swaddling clothes,” asserted Mr Hall Skelton, a little 'later. “They capitalised _ his good looks and his war record. Now, as you see in to-night’s papers, they have turned their own man down.”-

HOT A REFORM MOVE MU POTTER SAYS LIBERALS CONCERNED. [Fsom Ouk Parliamentary [leportek.] ■WELLINGTON, August 19. Tim political developments in Auckland have caused a flutter in the lobby of the House. The first impression was that some of the Auckland Reform members, who have shown independent tendencies, were linked up with the movement, especially as the only name published so far is that of a former Reform organiser. However, the inquiries in this direction drew blank. Mr Harris (Waitematn) laughingly replied to a group of friends who suggested that he knew something about it “Don’t ask personal questions,” and it was_ evident by his remarks that he knew little of the matter first hand. However, Mr Potter (Roskill), who has no association with the new party, ■mentioned a number of names of the persons behind it, and if his information is correct, they are among prominent supporters of the Liberal Party, which has asked Mr Vcilch to lead them. “Oh, yes, T know who they arc,” declared Mr Potter. “ but T can emphatically state Unit the Auckland suggestions that they constitute a. breakaway from the Reform Party are based on very slender grounds. So far as T personally am concerned, T have never left the party, and I know of no other members of the Reform Party who have done so. It, has been suggested that wo are after a. new leader, hut wc are. perfectly satisfied, and firmly determined to adhere to the policy of the Reform Party, and stand by Mr Coates. Yes, of course I know who are in the new party. They won’t disclose names until they get some more important ones, if ihey_ can. However, it shows that once again the namo of Liberalism will ho changed.”