The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1928. AN IMPORTANT POINT.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10737, 7 November 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1928. AN IMPORTANT POINT.

Perhaps the most interesting question that can bo put to a United. Party candidate 1 at. the present juncture concerns what would he his attitude on a motion of n©-confid-ence in the Reform Government. It is. plainly, a matter on which memcbers of this variegated party are a-J yet. divided. One or two of the followers of Sir Joseph Ward have made it clear, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that, under no 1 circumstanced, would they . support a noconfidenco motion proposed by Mr. Holland. On the other hand, quite a, number have made no secret of the fact that, if they should he elected to Parliament, they would be just as willing to vote against the Government on the call of Air Holland as on the call of Sir Joseph Ward. If the Reform Government is returned, again—as is widely, expected—by even only a working majority the question will, of course, not bo one of importance. Essential it is, however, that any candidate belonging to the Middle Party should -b<y subjected to examination on the point, seeing that it might happen, as a result of so many mixed contests, that the fate of the Government may rest in the balance. All’. Clayton, it will have been noted,- wad questioned on the' matter air his Wairoa .meeting, and, in what proved a clumsy he revealed the fact that, if be were elected —which, of course, is a most improbable contingency—“ho would not vote with Air Holland on a no-confidence motion to put him into power, except to bring about a fresh election”! It will, therefore, he seen that Air Clayton would be able to find excuse for voting with the “Reds” if he thought it would lead to the rejection of the Reform Government from the Treasury Benches. Let us suppose, for a moment, that the Holland Party got into office with the aid of .some United Party votes. Would such a condition of things lead to a fresh appeal to the electors? Not necessarily. The only party that could then challenge the Labor Government would be the Reform Party, which would have then become the Official Opposition. In those circumstances, sufficient United Party members would either have to continue to keep the Holland Government in power or twist and help the Reform Party back into office! If the Holland Government were able'to stave off defeat, there would be no fresh election and, vice versa, if the Reform Party received sufficient aid to eject, the Holland Government there would-be no dissolution, with resultant appeal to the 'electors. Air Clayton is, plainly, no friend of the Reform Government and all supporters of All* Coates and political stability at the present critical juncture would do well to hear this in mind on Polling Day.