AMALGAMATION OF REFORM AND UNITED PARTIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LV, Issue 4491, 14 May 1935, Page 3

AMALGAMATION OF REFORM AND UNITED PARTIES.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

ORGANISER. APPOINTED

An amalgamation of the. Reform and United forces in national politics has been effected. It is officially announced by the representative committee, which carried out the negotiations for political union, that the new organisation has begun operations under the designation of the National Political Federation, with headquarters in Wellngton, the offices being in Kelburn Chambers.

Mr D. Ardell, who recently retired from the Department of Internal Affairs, has been appointed organiser for the federation, and begins his duties forthwith. He has had a ■wide experience of national organisation, and has also a unique knowledge of varied associations and representative men throughout the Dominion.

A complete understanding. of the Reform and United Parties in Parliament and also. in the country, was foreshadowed last month in a joint statement as to the future of the Coalition Government by the Prime Minister, Rt- Hon. G. W. Forbes, Leader of the United Party, and the Minister of Finance, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Reform Party, before Mr Forbes left Wellington for London. On that occasion the respective leaders declared that, in their opinion, it was necessary that all those interested in the good government of this country should continue to wo*, in the closest co-operation. “It is eminently desirable,” the Ministers continued, “that in these difficult days, party politics should be restrained in order that our full energies may be devoted to the elimination of distress among all sections of our-people, and the promotion of continued economic recovery; for there are those who persist in capitalising the distress of some of our fellow-citizens in support of their own political objectives.” The leaders also pointed out that the parties had co-operated loyally and effectively for nearly four years, during which time they were encouraged by the support - received throughout the country to believe that a continuation of such co-op-eration was essential for the Dominion’s welfare if the measures to restore confidence and stability that had been initiated were to be carried through to a successful conclusion. They expressed themselves as being firmly convinced that the future called for continued effort in the interests of the Dominion.

As regards future policy, the Ministers, in their joint statement, made it clear that, although the worst of inevitably drastic measures had been dealt with, they recognised that much remained to be dene, and that, as conditions altered overseas, it might be necessary to make further internal adjustments.

~ “These are not the times for a splitting-up of our people into factions,” concluded the Ministers. “We feel that any material change in policy will create a sense of insecurity, and perhaps chaos, and that our people will best be served by the continued co-operation of the Coalition group as a National Government.”

Now that amalgamation of the parties has been achieved with the approval of their respective organisations throughout the country, it follows that all their activities will be carried out henceforth with complete unity as a National Government, and that all the National Political Federation’s candidates at the General Elections will stand as Nationalists.