WELLINGTON TOPICS.
THE NEW PARTY. DISCLAIMED BY ACTING PRIME MINISTER. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington. June 2nd. In 3 guarded, but very definite statement yesterday, Sir James Allen, the anting Prime Minister, disassociated the Reform Party from the delegates of the "New Party." Mr C. J. Parr and Mr Vernon Reed, who are said to be touring the Dominion in the interests of that organisation. " The compact entered into when the National Government was formed," Sir lames said," is still in existence, and will be maintained in its entirety as far as the Reform Party is concerned until an announcement is made by the leader after the return of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward." This is plain enough, and is in accord with the resolution adopted by the recent Liberal caucus, which affirmed quite as definitely that the Liberal Party would abide by the " existing contract" between the two parties. THE EXISTING CONTRACT.
This being the case, it may be as well to reiterate that the party truce» which was reduced to writing at the time it was made, provides that political differences shall remain in abeyance till the end of the war or till it is renounced by one or both of the party leaders. Tbe end of the war has been defined for certain statutory purposes as the termination of a period of six months after the signing of the peace treaty, but for the purposes of the truce it generally has been regarded as the time at which the Germans finally accept the Allies* terms. There may be some differences of opinion on this point, and even some quibbling, but neither leader has shown any disposition to hold the other to the agreement aft«?r the time for parting has arrived. THE PROGRESSIVES.
In justice to Messrs Parr and Reed, it has to be stated that they have not in the course of their present campaign represented themselves as acting on behalf of the Reform Party. They and the gentlemen associated with them have no grievance against Mr Massey, or. for the matter of that, against Sir Joseph Ward, but they are anxious to stimulate political thought and activity in order to safeguard the country against a number of perils by which they believe it to be threatened. The great majority of their recruits have been gained from the Reform Party, and they have not hesitated to approach influential people on the other side of politics, and they profess to be so far satisfied with the response to their efforts.
POINTS OF VIEW. With the prospect of some measure of schism in the ranks of the two older parties, the break between the "moderates" and the "extremists'* in the Labour Party becomes of additional interest and significance. In an address he delivered here last night, ostensibly on the subject of conscientious objectors, Mr Holland devoted most of his time to a violent attack on Mr W. A. Veitch. Among other crimes he charged to Mr Veitch was the heinous one of having helped Mr Massey into office, apparently by allowing himself to be elected as Labour member for Wanganui; but his chief grudge against him was that he bad assisted the National Goverment in its war measures, and bad not subscribed to the pacific doctrines of the extremists. Probably the attack will not greatly prejudice Mr Veitch with his constituents.
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Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1220, 5 June 1919, Page 5
Word Count
561WELLINGTON TOPICS. King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1220, 5 June 1919, Page 5
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