COALITION MOVE?

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 28 February 1941, Page 4

COALITION MOVE?

EARLY ACTION NATIONAL MINISTRY POSTPONEMENT OF POLLS POLITICAL POINTERS (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Coalition of the Government and National parties as a war measure, the formation of a National Cabinet, accompanied by an agreement for postponement of the general election are possibilities of the near future. This development may be expected to take place during the coming session, under certain circumstances. The extraordinary meeting of the electoral delegates of the Meat Board this week is one indication of a major war problem affecting the Dominion’s export industry, but this would not be sufficient to crystallise growing opinion in political circles in favour of the suggested move. However, if the war situation took a more serious turn, that would be the moment when political partisanship—now becoming active owing to the near approach of the municipal elections —would be suddenly ended by mutual agreement involving the formation of a National Government and a decision to postpone both municipal and general elections. Change from Hostility This aspect of the political situation was among the many questions discussed at the recent lengthy caucus of Government members. No definite decisions appear to have been reached, but there are reports suggesting a tendency among the rank and file to move away from the former position of complete hostility to a coalition for war purposes. This changing mood received impetus • through the expression of views from an influential section of the party outside Parliament, which suggested that something should be done at an early date so as to avoid* the first of the coming political clashes during the municipal elections in May.

There have been rumours that these elections are to be postponed, but no corroboration comes from responsible circles, although a Labour member, after the caucus, remarked that as Parliament would soon be sitting, the matter could be quickly fixed up if thought necessary.

One of the significant pointers in the direction of the improved prospects of coalition under certain circumstances is the delay in taking action over the personnel of the War Cabinet. The Government’s objection to the present arrangement, which excludes the Leader of the' Opposition from participating in decisions of the greatest moment, has been repeated publicly on several occasions by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, but he is holding his hand, while the War Cabinet. with its original Opposition mefnbers, meets daily.