The Hawera Star. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1928. REFORM AND THE THIRD PARTY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 April 1928, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1928. REFORM AND THE THIRD PARTY.

Delivered every evening by 5 o'clook in Hawera Manair.. Normanby, Okaia.ua. Eltliain. Mangat.oki. Kaponga. Alton, Hurleyville Patea. Waverley. Mokoia, Whakamara. Ohangai, Meremere. Frasei Eoad. and Ararata.

Immediately following a report of the a'ble speech delivered in Wellington, by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart on Monday night., there'appears in the Wellington “Evening Post.” a letter signed by the Publicity Manager of the United Hew Zealand Political Party. Mr Stewart’s subject was polities with a special reference to the third party question and the differences between Labour and the Reform Party. Whether the reader agrees with the views expressed by the speaker or not, ho has to admit that here is a representative of a party with something to say that will justify the consideration of any intelligent elector. Mr Stewart said that the real lino of demarcation between the existing parties in New Zealand must be between the Labour Party and those who believed that the philosophy and principles for which the Labour Party stood were not in the best interests of the community. The third party had been a disappearing factor in politics in Britain, in Australia and in other countries for a number of years, and its disappearance arose from the fact that there was no room for it. He expressed the view of the average man when he stated that.the intelligent elector wanted cither Labour or its opponent and had no need of intermediate parties which merely “ploughed the sand.’’ He could not see; as many others in New Zealand cannot see, how any good purpose could be served by the United Party’s efforts to resuscitate the third party in the politics of this country; it could only produce instability and uncertainty, assuming that it met with success at the polls. After giving a generalised recital of Labour’s attitude towards capital, Mr Stewart stated briefly the Reform view, which, summarised, was that, whatever the defects of our social system might be, it was the result of long growth and experience and provided for a. largo number of people the means of livelihood and the comforts of civilisation. The Minister wont on to touch upon the importation of the Continental ideals of Socialism by the Labour Party of this country, and he designated the application to the Dominion of the favourite forms of criticism of capital employed by Socialists everywhere. as mere cant. Internationalism and Labour’s attitude towards England’s foreign policy came in for his critical examination, and the speaker made a point of the Labour outcry against. Britain’s 1 so-called intervention in China last year. This was a point he probably made more of than is shown in the report, for the manner in which Labour has allowed its ill-judged statements in that connection to bo quietly

'forgotten, bears a wholesome moral for any who may be so misguided as to believe that Labour is intelligent in its periodical outbursts against Imperialism. Following upon the report of this speech appears, as we have noted, a letter from the officer of the United Party who has been appointed to hold the fort against all comers, including Cabinet Ministers and the whole of the organisation of the Government party until such time as 'his own party has a few men to put forward to voice its opinions. All that the Publicity Manager of the United Party seeks to do in this letter is to convince the people of the Dominion that any statements that the Reform Party remains solid 1 are false and that the reason, the Reform Party is so rapidly disintegrating is provided by the “presence” of the Unitcds. In view of the fact that the Uniteds are so far known to the electors almost solely through their organiser, their publicity manager, and, more recently, Mr F. W. Manton, the audacity of the Public Manager must bo admired. But that is the only quality we find admirable in his statement. For the rest, it is merely words, and such words as “it is very apparent,” “it must be rccognisod,” “May I suggest,” “it is plainly evident.” After stating that “ facts and figures as provided in public documents clearly demonstrate” that the country is going to the dogs generally, the letter arrives at the conclusion that the Coates Government has failed, that it must accept the consequences, and that the result will bo “an overwhelming vote of noconfidence being carried in November next.” Mr Stewart declared in his speech that there was no room for a third party, even to provide entertainment at election time, but after reading the second effusion of the United Party to come under our notice, we do not feel that we can go so far as that, though on all other grounds w© believe the U.N.Z.P.P.O. to be superfluous.