Party Merger Proposals

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 167, 20 June 1925, Page 3

Party Merger Proposals

REPORT OF CONFERENCE. TO GO TO CAUCUS MEETINGS. Wellington, Juno 19. Ihe fusion delegates sat to-day. niopning and afternoon, and are again sitting this evening. They have agreed that even after their deliberations have been concluded no statement shall ho given to the press. The report of the conference will be submitted to caucus meetings of each party. As each and all of the delegates are under the seal of secrecy, there can be nothing but mere speculation as to what they have been doing, and at the present stage it would I)© inadvisable to speculate, as sixiculatiou might make, one side or the other, appear in the wrong and so form an obstacle to fusion. Indeed, already harm has been done by the publication in the “Post” to-night of the views of “a supporter of the Liberal party,’’ who. to say the least of it. has been most indiscreet.

THE INDISCREET STATEMENT. The statement is printed as follows: —“lf all the Ministerialists are not whole-heartedly enthusiastic about fusion. and some there are who are believed to he lukewarm, there is good ground for saving that the Liberals are sincere in their desire to try to bring union about in the interests of the country.” This view was put forward to a “Post" reporter by a prominent sunoorter of the Liberal party, who said there could be no doubt that whichever side was guilty of throwing difficulties in the "*pv before the general election would pay heavily for it when the electors were being consulted. The further opinion was ventured that in the event of amalgamation the Prime Minister need not be unduly troubled about the question of Cabinet appointments because if in his frosh selection of Ministers his inclusion of Liberals caused heartburning in the Reform ranks it could not cause a crisis, ns those who were not considered eligible for elevation would not ho likely to ally themselves with the Labour party.

There is. in this statement from a prominent Liberal, an early attempt to put the Refinin partv in the wrong. And more than that, there is the throat of what will happen at the general election to the Reform narty, for if. as stated, the Ministerialists are “hikewarm’’ about fusion and the Liberals are “sincere” about it. the only inference is that the Reformers aro the truilty ones, who will pay heavily for their guilt.