ANOTHER PARTY ?

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 April 1943, Page 4

ANOTHER PARTY ?

MR. KYLE’S STATEMENT

CHRISTCHURCH, April 1.

A “Win the War” group with Mr. Coates, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. J. N. Massey M.P., as leading members has been formed to contest Parliamentary seats at the General Election according to a statement by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., who announced his independence when the National Party decided to withdraw its members from the War Administration. “Men will be selected by the group to contest many seats, their policy being to win the war first and to deal with rehabilitation,” said Mr. Kyle, who will again contest the Riccarton seat.

Commenting on Mr. Kyle’s statement the Opposition Leader, Mr. Holland, said: “The story told by Mr. Kyle of a new political party based on Messrs Hamilton and Coates, with Mr. Kyle as the chief whip, sounds to me very much as if it is a little whistling by Mr. Kyle to keep up his courage. I should require to have the story confirmed by Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Coates before I would be prepared to accept it seriously.”

COATES-HAMILTON STATEMENT

WELLINGTON, April 2. A reiteration of the belief they have expressed previously, that this is not the time for the pursuance of party politics, was given in a joint statement by Mr. Coates and Mr. Hamilton, when asked for comments on the statement attributed to Mr. Kyle at Christchurch. It says: Mr. Kyle expresses a purely persona] view. He is free to say whatever he cares to. In the meantime, we are not so concerned in any form of party politics. In fact, when we consider the present war position, with our men and country actively engaged in a life and death struggle, the idea of a General Election on the home front is repugnant. The fact that sufficient unity, which means the spreading of responsibility, cannot be agreed to, so that a General Election with all 'its turmoil and division, could be avoided, is to be deplored. With a grave struggle still in front af us, and our Allies, commonsense seems to dictate that pursuance of party politics should cease, and that the public leaders should combine in directing New Zealand’s whole effort and capacity to one goal, defeating the enemy. This will require the combined effort of all citizens in the country before it is over.