MANY COLOURS

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 2

MANY COLOURS

A POLITICAL PATCHWORK ALL AT SIXES AND SEVENS GOVERNMENT FEARS NOTHING. Ll’ROi' Ons PiELIAMEKTir.T REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, July 13. When the no-confidence motion was lost in the House this afternoon by 14 votes to do a was remarked that Mr Atmore (independent member for Nelson) was the only non-Laboui member who voted against the Government. When the Minister of Education (Mr Wright) addressed the House early in the evening ho went out of hi-, way to refer to Mr Atmore’s attitude towards the Government, observing that lie fancied ho saw the anting on the wall “ Was the lion, member tor Nelson coquetting with Labour?” asked Mr Wright. That membei lias changed his front Not so very long ago no man had denounced the Labour Party more strongly than the member for Nelson. Mr Armstrong: He improves with age. • Mr Fraser: Growing intelligence. (Laughter.) Mr Coates (facetiously) . You should be the last one to talk about that. Mr Wright: I think there is more than age in it. 1 think lie is going over to the Opposition. . The member for Nelson said in this House that the Labour Party was not now so red. It had bleached. Perhaps it would bleach so much in his opinion that lie would go right over to it. Mr Ndsworthy: He’s gone pale pink. Later Mr Wright attacked the new United Party, and as scon is he mentioned the name, Mr Fra*ei interjected: “Leave them alone. They voted with you.” Mr Wright; “I’m talking about f tiio party outside this House. The United Party has been guilty of making incorrect and misleading statements. First we were told that some Reform members were going over to the United Party, and one newspaper went so far as to say that a score were going over. Not one Reform member has deserted to that party.” Mr Wright added that a. party that had to build itself up by misleading statements about its opponents would not obtain the confidence of the people. Mr Fraser; I wish that was true. A CURIOUS OPPOSITION. Mr Wright then referred to a Press statement published outside Wellington, in winch the United Party put it forth that Sir Alexandei Roberts (dominion commissioner at the Wembley Exhibition) and Mr W. D. Hunt wore likely candidates, and that Mr D. S. Smith (who recently accepted appointment to the. Supreme Court bench) was at one time a prospective candidate. That message had been sent out with a view to misleading the people in the outside centres. If published in Wellington it would have been contradicted. The party that resorted to such tactics would get nowhere. r , . , “It appears, too, that the United Party has no leader,” continued the Minister, who went on to deny Mr J. A Lee’s allegation that Mr Coates was a skipper without a storm strategy. Mr Coates had excellent control of the ship of State, and did know where ho was steering. He would bring the barque into port safely after the next election,, and all his crew would he on the deck. . Mr Wright said it was a curious Opposition that faced the Government. The Leader of the Opposition: Thai part of it which votes with the Government is very curious. Mr Wright; First of all, we have the Official Opposition, led by th« Labour member for Buller. 1 hat is a solid party, fourteen strong. Mr M‘Combs (Lyttelton). And they vote against the Government. Mr Wright; Then there is the United Party— (laughter)—led by the member for Hurunui (Mr Forbes). Mr M'Combs: Yes; and they vote with the Government.

Mr Wright: Sometimes A COAT OF MANY COLOURS. “Jacob had a son called Joseph, and lie made him a coat of main; colours, continued the Minister. t We have something like that in this House. First, there is tho Official Opposition, and that is as ‘ red ’ as ever it was. Mr Fraser: Did you say it was as red as when you wore it years ago. (Laughter.) '. , Mr Wright: Next there is the party of which Mr \ citch is loader, and that is white, emblematic of innocence and puritv. Then there is the member for Nelson, who is pale pink, and is drifting unconsciously, it may be, towards the Labour Opposition. Mr fetter: He is dyed. “ The Government has nothing to fear from an Opposition that is at sixes and sevens.” Mr Wright averred that tho Opposition could not present a solid front, and would not embarass the Government at the General Lection It would be found that the Prime Minister would return to power again, and the whole country would bo glad to sec him back.