PARTY MARRIAGE

Northern Advocate, 9 July 1925, Page 5

PARTY MARRIAGE

ADVOCATED IN HOUSE THE FUSION NEGOTIATIONS. • ' RUMdURS UNCONFIRMED. (Specialto "Northern Advocate.") WELLINGTON, This Day. A statement was published yesterday that it was understood the fusion negotiations had come .to an end: and that no. agreement was possible. • Official confirmation of this could not be obtained r,last night. -The Prime Minister said he knew nothing of vW, which indicated that so far as lie i* concerned there is no nend for the negotiations to be at an end. \ loader of the Liberal Party, Mr,T.

ivr, wilford, was not in the. House last night, but he was communicated with by telephone,, and he said that at the present time he had no statement to make. 1 The Liberals continue to take little or no part in the no-conlidence de* bate. It is expected that the division on Mr Holland's amendment will be Teached tonight. After that Mr Atmore's amendment is to come. It was I thought Mr Atmore's seconder would | be the Hon. J. A. Hanan, but it ,is j •understood now that Mr J. C. Thomp- j son, the Liberal Member for Wallace, -will fill the role. Mr Thompson, it is j gathered, intends to stand for Wallace j <it the general election, as a Nation- j alist. . Various members of the House made reference to fusion during ysterday's debate. Mr J. O'Brien, the Labour Member for Westland, said he did not think he could let the opportunity pass. There was one thing, that was •clear, the Liberals had to repudiate Ballance. and Seddon and others who

"had gone before them. Sir James Parr: They have done, that long ago.. . . Mr O'Brien: They have to do it thoroughly this time. Almost every man they could get over, and now the?" "had the lines out well baited, A whole lot of the Liberals were angling today to get-over on the Reform benches and try to pinch a portfolio or two. , Mr P. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn) declared that the wedding ought to have been celebrated long ago. Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) strongly favoured fusion. have not had ray head behind the ~ scenes/ he said, "but every session I have urged that there should be;, fusion- be-

tween the parties in the .interests of government and good national government. This should be complete, not a half nnd half sort of thing, «nd a definite policy should be- agreed; ■upon." He had hoped that the House?' would be asked to pass such a proposal, for it rested with them to .show the , Dominion .as a wfcole that they were in, earnest in the To be ■effective it must be on sound lines, so that neither one , side nor the , position; 'jA/proper: fusipri roust bft }'■<>)&£. appeal. to thjj ' tQiS of thje'DoirLiriion; and. unless, thejf hatf oiiej.which appealed t6" £he Do-.' : pinion' as . a wiolg it: Would not be mVicV gofd.; ■ .'> : f . i '' *' Therfe are difficulties unquestionably," he added, "but they are there J to be overcome." !