COATES TACTICS

Evening Star, Issue 20263, 26 August 1929, Page 8

COATES TACTICS

SEEKS TO DUST UNITED FOR LABOUR LATEST GOSSIP ON POLITICAL SITUATION / ■ i [SI’ECIAL TO TUB * SlAE.'] CUIUSTCIIUIICH, August Ski. Labour members of Parliament who arrived from Wellington yesterday confirmed the report current during- the week that it is tho desire of Mr Coates to do his utmost to oust tho Ward Government and put the Labour Partyin office. ■ It is stated that Mr Coates has freely expressed this intention to Labour members, and that ho is eagerly awaiting an opportunity of supporting a Labour motion of no-confidence in the Government. While tho prospect of holding office, even if only for a brief period, appeals to some of the Labour members, the majority are understood to bo firmly against assuming control of the Treasury benches under such circumstances as they foci that such a step is only likely to load to disaster for the party. “Wo are in a particularly difficult position at present, and we have to step very carefully in order to avoid being made use of by Mr Coates,” said one Labour member. “It is perfectly clear that if Mr Coates did succeed in putting us into office, we would have a very .short life as a Government, and we could do nothing without the help of ,the Reform Party. Wc also would be confronted with difficulties with our own supporters, many of whom would expect us to perform miracles.” Tho statement that Sir Joseph Ward has received an assurance that he will bo able to obtain a dissolution in the event of tho defeat of, his Government on a no-con/idcnce motion is discredited by some of tho Labour and Reform members. They argue that, as the Government represents' a minority of tho House, there would be no coustitiP’ona! justification for granting a dissolution until it was made clear that all efforts to form a stable Government had failed.