POLITICAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 July 1924, Page 5

POLITICAL

SUGGESTED PARTY AMALGAMATION, PREMIER LEFT OUT. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star). .WELLINGTON, July 10. Every member of Parliament and every, pressman . associated, with the House received copies of a circular today, which was amusingly handled in the debate by a Labour member. Its origin is modestly undisclosed, though there are signs that it originated in Wellington, and a former Independent Wellington member is credited with being the chief moving spirit. Mr. Lee (Auckland East) said the. document was from the- New Zealand League, which comprised many public men who in the past supported the Reform Party. It showed that efforts were being made to solidify the desire for a compromise Cabinet, and he supposed the circular had been sent round for the purpose of bringing the matter to a bead. As far as lie could see tho proposed Cabinet r comprised Mr. Coates (Prime Minister), Mr. Wilford (Attorney-General and Deputy-Leader of the House), Mr. Downie Stewart, the Hon. H. El. T. Ngat-a, Messrs. Nash, Masters, Forbes. F. J. Rolleston, Young, Girling, . Veitch, and Sir John Luke. Apparently the New Zealand League, which claimed to support the, Reform Party in the past, r set out at the start with the deliberate, intention of placing the present Prime Minister in cokl storage. (Laughter). They would not have Mr. - Massey at - : anv price. Mr. Lee, quoting, from the circular, said: “When it was suggested to the Hon. W. F. Massey -that he should retire and make room for an amalgamated- national party lie replied : “1 will, go when I ant put out, and hot before. ’ Evidently, . compienfed Mr. Lee, the Cabinet is only on paper, so far. Apparently the Leader-of the Opposition was also asked to comment 011 the proposed Cabinet, and when the suggestion was made to him that amalgamation might be assisted by his retirement- he said: “I will do anything that will help the country. If givinoup the Liberal leadership will brin<? prosperity and political peace to New Zealand I will give up gladly.” Mi. Lee added that the proposal seenmd to consist of an attempt to get lid of a Cabinet of sharks and supplant it with a Cabinet of minnows or whitebait. (Laughter). Jt was an amusing proposal and a most amusing Cabinet. - The only omission seemed to be that . although Mr. Massey was asked to go into cold storage Mr Wilford was not also asked to go there •Mr. Howard: He goes to a hotter place.

™n r L Lee: If Mr- Massey goes into cold storage and Mr. Wilford goes into hot storage we would avoid wha-t the member for Waimarino described- as the Bill foolery”" and the “tom foolei’y M-e have had recently. Resuming his remarks after the dinner adjournment, Mr. Lee. isaid lie had been trying to discover the parent of this .mysterious Cabinet, but had been uiiabJe to discover it. Apparently itivas a , foundling child which had been disowned. It had been laid on-their doorstep and was a;foundling.* He had been reminded of a few lines which ,apP .«!, «*thd “StillbA” V-“ Has iFi sistei has it a brother, has it a father tom-h T niothori' Lift l it up’ tenderly'; touch it with .care, fashioned -so slenderly young and so fair”— and i-un-fortunatelv, dead. (Laughter);-' * ilie Premier made -a personal explanation to the House; -following Mr Lee s references in the circular .to his alleged declaration that he would go forV vhe, J If put out > a «d not bePartv an ti If 1 T e I pref l erred the Labour the Liberal. “I wan +'+« <Je^ la,:efl ' Mr.; Massey, “that that ££&£ ST*#? himself , and proof of if Is thaton™*? eial occasions when I have had anoDlmvwL 7 1 ° f speaki,l S t( > the party P I have the honour to lead—and no more loyal party has followed a'leader in thit r rld Ifiave told them from time to time that I was quite. prepared to stand aside any moment ; to assist them to selecting men for carrying on the work ?vorthv y of h to prese, . lt . Government and pos,tion tlwy """"•m