The Hawera Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1925. THE POLITICAL SEASON OPENS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 18 August 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1925. THE POLITICAL SEASON OPENS.

Delivered . eiery evening by 5 o'clock 'D Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga. Alton, Hurleyvilie, Patea, Wuverley, Mokoia, Whakaniara, Ohangai. Meremere, . Fraaer Rood. an Ararota.

No- one who attended the political meeting in Hawera last night could have much cause to comp lain of the variety of the fare set before him There was .something to suit all tastes. Air. Atniore, speaking, <so it appeared, ;a«s an Independent, and rising now and then to passages of real eloquence, made out quite a good ease lor th 9 fusion cause. Very little, if any, <>l ibis material was new; but it was a isoumlly reasoned addre.s«s which he delivered, and the member lor Nelson wa.s not compelled to call in any oi the tricks of oratory to bridge gaps in li.is logic. Then there was a real, eighteen-carat, true-to-sample political speech. That was Mr. Hanan’is contribution. The ex-Minister lor Education —and he was a credit, to the portfolio, be it admitted—did not .seem very sure of his ground last night. Indeed, that is rather an inapt figure. He was rarely on the ground, and when he did touch earth it, was only a touch ere, balioon-like, he bounded again to the clouds. Hi.s critics were twitting (Mr. Atinore on sponsoring a party 'without a, policy; Mr. Hanan gave the impression that lie had neither party nor policy, although possibly the “broad national lines’’ which, not so long ago, were almost copyright to the ■honourable gentleman, could be adapted without much difficulty to fit the National Party which Mr. Atniore is hoping to form. To get back to tin bill of fare: There were “a. few words” (from Mr. Corrigan—how they nnnst ilia,vc thrilled our persistent correspondent ‘‘Bonehead’ —a profession of abiding political faith from the Mayor of Hawera, a nice little sjreecli from a legal gentleman in the dress circle, •several baiting questions from a couple of political theorists, a violent outburst from a bustled interjeetor, some unduly personal remarks from the member for Nelson—who lost some (thing of the meeting’s good-will in consequence—a moment of forgetfulness on the part of the chairman, and, (finally, that state of affairs so (admirably epitomised by the parenthetical comment: (Mild uproar). If it were not. altogether a profitable evening from the point of view of gathering information, it was certainly never dull, which is more than can be said of some political meetings. Just what lasting good—if any—will accrue from the visit of the southern representatives it is difficult to estimate. One or two doubtful points which should have been cleared up at the outset were neatly ignored until question time, when Mr Atmore showed considerable agility in evading the issue on quite simple matters, and several queries went still unanswered. It. is not very clear yet, for example, why Mr Hanan was there, or whom he represented. The member for Nelson, it seems, does not recognise the National Party, alias {lie Liberal-Labour Party, alias the Liberal Party. He is advocating fusion along much the same lines as. The Star has done consistently since Mr Massey’s death. And the audience was given to understand that, until the National Party is in effect the Fusion Party, Mr Atmore will he outside it. That was definite and. we believe, sincere. Mr Hanan, on the other hand, is looked upon as a Liberal; not altogether a Wilford Liberal, perhaps, but still a. Liberal through the whole twenty-five years of his political career. It would have been interesting at least to hear whether he is now a Lib.-Lab. Nationalist, a Fusion Nationalist, or just a Nationalist. Possibly the public, realises hv this time —it has been told often enough even if it cannot read the signs for itself —that the parliamentary system of government will not function properly begging an interjeetor’s leave —with more than, two organised parties. Mr Hanan cannot imagine, surely, that this functioning will be in any way assisted by changing the name of one of the three parties in New Zealand. We are told that, the Lib.-Lab. decision ,to change its coat was unanimous, so, in the absence of any statement to the contrary, the electors

arc cut)tlcil to assume that Mr llanan belongs to “ THE ” National Party, which is distinct from “ A ” National Party such as Mr Atmore advocates. Already public sentiment is as strong as it possibly can be in favour of an amalgamation of the two older parties —both motion and amendment last night had that ultimate aim. So far as it. is possible for the outsider to .judge, it- is within the House itself that there is most urgent need of missionary work. The people are ready enough to support a. really National Party; but it will be necessary first to form the party. Tf Mr Hanan had shown, or attempted to show, how the appropriation of the name National by the Liberal remnant is likely to aid the cause of fusion his audience might have gone home a little more satisfied. Possibly he may make the attempt at Patea to-night.