COALITION RELATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 14

COALITION RELATIONS

AN ELECTION EMBARRASSMENT LITTLE PROSPECT OF PERMANENT FUSION [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, April 1. A decision regarding the future relations of the two parties in the Coalition Government having been deferred for months, to the great embarrassment of supporters in the country and ambitious candidates, the departure for London of both leaders has brought the matter rapidly to a lu\-d, and publication of a statement, either joint or separate, from Mr Forbes 'and Mr Coates is only a matter of a few hours. Behind the scenes throughout the sission, this question lias been constantly discussed, the rank and file patiently awaiting an announcement which their leaders had been authorised to make. If the general feeling among the back-benchers could be taken as an indicator of the final statement, it could be predicted that it would show that long experience of facing the new and complex problems, involving much difference of opinion, which had to be “ ironed out ” in Cabinet and caucus, had led to greater friendliness, . the natural prelude to a national party, and the virtual disagr pearance of the old divisions; hut there has always been a feeling that tradition dies hard, and that large groups of electors have not moved so fast as those actively concerned in tackling modern problems. They associate their leaders with certain policies arid differences, and this introduces into the negotiations the important factor of personal ambition. Sooner or later, shrewd judges of the situation at headquarters believe that tho leadership will become a live problem. To-day it is latent, because, it is considered, with ample justification, that party questions are trifling compared witli'thc national problems; for, in the face of the negotiations during the next two months, all concerned in the country’s Government realise that the course ahead is through an uncharted sea. Tho Government of the future will, as iu the past few years, have to devise new expedients without help from the past, while recent legislation, revolutionary in character, demands much resource and initiative if it is to he made workable.

ThuSj a good case is made out for maintaining the present association of the United and Reform Parties until the state of national emergency which caused the Reform Party to place its resources at the disposal of the country in the Administration has definitely ceased to exist.

While tho Prime Minister, to use his own phrase, considers it unthinkable that the elements in the group could again become antagonistic, his chief colleague, Mr Coates, appears still to hold to the original terms of the Coalition arrangement. Long prior to the formation of the Coalition Cabinet, iu September, 1931, Mr Coates had in unmistakable terms declared his objection to anything in the form of fusion or coalition; but in face of the evidence placed before the Joint Committee of the parties, which received confidential evidence on the economic condition of the dominion, he decided to throw in his lot with the Government a month later. Mr Coates clearly defined Iris position in a pre-election appeal issued at the same time as a similar message from Mr Forbes. One portion of the Reform Leader’s statement of October, 1931, appears’to be applicable to the present situation: “ In the present national emergency I am confident that Reformers can be relied upon to subordinate all personal party sentiments to the paramount interests of the dominion. Our party wilj not lose its separate identity, nor sacrifice its traditions.”

Apparently the coming statement will announce an indefinite prolongation of the Coalition agreement, with its possibility of ultimate separation into the former party divisions. It has been difficult in the present state of uncertainty to organise in the. electorates, or to airange for candidates, while the disinclination to merge both parties, maintains a. difficulty regarding which of several candidates would receive official Government backing. As there must be some feeling that each side in the Coalition should endeavour to obtain as many of its own supporters as possible ; practically a state of armed neutrality exists with hostilities indefinitely postponed. Though this has been the position since the 1931 election, it must be stated without the slightest qualification that both sections in the Coalition Cabinet have worked harmoniously and that the full resources of the combination have been available for conducting the country’s business. There were differences within the party over the Mortgage Corporation Bill and the Rural Mortgagors’ Final Adjustment, but nothing resembling a cleavage on tho old party lines was noticeable; otherwise lobbyists, who were so well informed on caucus opinion that the Coalition leaders were amazed and embarrassed, would have quickly predicted the end of the Coalition. However, none of the unofficial stories describing secret caucus happenings hinted at the possibility of a break-up. One of the most extraordinary rumours current during the last few days suggested that Mr Downie Stewart would bo invited again to enter Cabinet as Acting-Minister of Finance during the absence of Mr Coates. This, however, had only to be considered for a moment to bo rejected as a possibility, because the biggest tasks of the ActingMinister would be to initiate the administration of the mortgage legislation, which Mr Stewart so strongly opposed .that on occasion ho was seen voting with the Labour Opposition.

So this rumour can be completely discounted. It served- the purpose, however, of indicating the difficulty in making a suitable temporary appointment on the principles followed during the currency of the Coalition—that portfolios held by Reform Ministers must be kept “ within the family.” There may on the present occasion be a departure from this precedent to enable the new legislation to make a good start under the administration of Cabinet’s most prominent business man, Mr Masters, Minister of Industries and Commerce.