NEW TACTICS NECESSITATEDROLES REVERSED: OPPOSING PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 5

NEW TACTICS NECESSITATED—ROLES REVERSED: OPPOSING PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT

WELLINGTON, This Day (0.C.).— Weakened by the loss of its younger and more accomplished speakers, who were election casualties, the Labour Opposition will have to fall back on a few of its older party stalwarts for its main debating strength in the House of Representatives during the coming session of Parliament. The burden of presenting Labour’s case is likely to fall to a large extent on the experienced political shoulders of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Fraser, and the deputy leader, Mr Nash. With the change of Government, the tactics in debate of the Labour and National Party members will probably be completely reversed. After 14 years of office, making speeches in defence and in justification of the policy it followed, the Labour Opposition will now become the attacking force, with its criticism directed at the new occupants of the Treasury benches. Now On the Defensive!’

On the other hand, the Government, after its 14 years of adversity in fighting the. policy pursued by the previous Administration, will now be obliged to take the defensive. Returned with its effective debating strength unimpaired, the Government has gained some effective debaters among its new members, more particularly Messrs W. Blair Tennent (Palmerston North) and f F. L. Gotz (Otahuhu). • For some members of the Government the change in tactics from attack to defence may not be easy. How a hard-hitting and, vigorous critic like Mr W. A. Sheat, now a parliamentary under-secretary, will

fare in the more placid role of speaker for the defence, remains to be seen. From the debating point of view, Labour’s most serious loss was the defeat of Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, the former Minister of Industries and Commerce, and Dr A. M. Finlay’s rejection by the electors of North Shore. An incisive and polished debater, with perfect command of the English language, Mr Nordmeyer was more often than not put up to open for the former Government in financial and Address-in-Reply debates. He was invariably selected to follow the leading debaters on the opposite side of the House. Now in business in Wellington in the building trade, Mr Nordmeyer is expected to attempt to re-enter the House again when a suitable opportunity presents itself. , Another Able Debater Dr Finlay was another able debater, skilled in dissecting intricate legislation and in explaining involved points of law, otherwise incomprehensible to the average layman. Other forceful Labour speakers who went down at the election were Messrs G. H. O. Wilson (Palmerston North) and A. C. Baxter (Raglan). The Opposition’s most effective debating support for Mr Fraser and Mr Nash will probably come from Messrs A. McLagan, C. F. Skinner and T. H. McCombs, all of whom held Ministerial office in the last Government, and Mr A? G. Osborne, a former parliamentary under-secre-tary. All are capable debaters, and they and their leader and deputy leader may well form the spearhead of the Opposition in debate.