The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1925. THE FUSION AMENDMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 July 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1925. THE FUSION AMENDMENT.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock -n Hawera, Manaia Nonnanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Jlangatoki, Kaponga, Alton, Tlurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Wliakaniara, Ohangai, Mereinere, Fraser Road, an Ararata.

Despite Air. At more s complaint that respect for precedent has never yet meant progress, it was not to he expected that the l'rijno Minister would treat the fusion amendment as other than one of no-confidence in the Government. A Ministry cannot, in .selfrespect, allow private members to go tacking additions to the A<ldtes-s-in-Koply. Although we have consistently advocated an amalgamation of t.lie two older parties, and are disappointed that the negotiations between them have been, ,so far, Darren of results, we are inclined to agree with the Alinister for Labour that the member for Nelson was ill advised in moving bis amendment, at any rate at this stage. AV.itl l its proposals we are in general agreement; but the cfleof ol the

division taken last night will not he to further the cause of fusion. Bather if will have tended to put some members o 11-side. Sir John Luke, for example, although an open supporter ol the fusion proposals, loiind himscll on l.he burns of a dilemma when the question was made one ol confidence, and was forced, for the sake ol the parly, to vole against his lmnesf conviction 4. AYo are not concerned here with the merits or demerits of m system ol government which makes that .sort ol thing possible, which, indeed, makes it sometimes impossible to avoid. The point is that Mr. Aitmore’s amendment has. if any tiling, further complicated a situation not altogether notable for its simplicity in the first place. A perusal of the. division lists suggests that only the Government- and Labour parties treated the question as one involving confidence in the Administration. Mr. Atm,ore himself, who had voted with the Government on two previous no-confidenoe divisions this session, was, of course, in opposition

last night; but to balance, ibis Mr. Poland, who is also something of u free-lance, broke his temporary alliance with Labour and passed out into the Government lobby. Atcssrs. Witty and Isiitt, the two Liberals who have always voted against the Labour Party in similar circumstances during the life of the present Parliament, were paired in support of the AJ.inistry; and Air. AYifford, in whom Mr. At mo re appears to repose about as much confidence as in the three-party system, this time stayed in the Chamber to vote, and that lot - the amendment. The only thing really new that the debate revealed w’as the fact, as stated by the Hon. Air. Anderson, that the Prime AT inis ter has had the resignations of all his colleagues in his hand since the beginning of the negotiations for amalgamation. This announcement should dispose ol Hie veiled suggestion from Opposition ana Labour quarters that portfolios have been, .and tare, standing m the way ol Reform’s acceptance of fusion. At the same time, it weakens considerably the argument that “arrangements in the constituencies” form an insuperable barrier to the lormation. before the general election, ol a National Party. If every member of the Reform Cabinet, be prepared to stand aside in order that fusion may be effected. how trivial it is to plead that Air. X and Air. Y. respectively Liberal and He,form candidates for- Buncom.bevillc, must not bo asked to make any sacrifice. If our politics have become so miserably mean that personal pride and ambition are to stand in the way of the coimnon will and the common weal, then the sooner we raze the whole edifice to the ground and build anew on. a. true foundation, the better it will bo for the country.