Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1925 MR. ATMORE’S AMENDMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 14 July 1925, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1925 MR. ATMORE’S AMENDMENT

THE debate on Mr Atmore's National party amendment to the Address-in-lio-ply will have been read with interest by many. In strongly urging the formation of a National party, Mr At more has been rendering good service to the countiv. Whether his efforts to bring matters to a head at this juncture were justified and in the best interests of the country, is, however, open to considerable doubt, and we are inclined to the opinion that no good purpose could have been served by his amendment while

the negotiations in the desired direction were still proceeding. In the course of is remarks, Mr A tin ore stated that his

position as an Independent enabled him to take the. step lie did. Quite so, hut does not this fact alone go a long way to piano that other members pledged to the constituencies were hardly justified in stepping out with him 7

Fusion is desirable and necessary and it will come whether the present members aid it. or not. Obviously there are many difficulties in the way and it is hardly fair to insinuate that personal interests are outweighing those of the country and that this is the reason why progress is slow. It might just as well he said that Mr At more is serving his personal interests in the stand he lias taken. Certainly lie had nothing to lose by so doing and perhaps something to gain. Rut we get nowhere by such reasoning and every action is open to some such construction. The only sane course is to judge each case on its merits, and on this basis Mr Atmorc's general efforts towards a National party are perfectly sound and in the best interests of the country. Rut when we get a stage further, we find that Mr At more's aloofness from the political parties is not his strength, hut his weakness. The Independent member cannot have it his own wav all the time. The fusion negotiations are. between the two parties, and Mr Atmore is an outsider. His influ - once can he measured only by the reasonableness of the arguments placed be. fore the public and it- is in Increasing the people's desire for fusion where his best work lies. The. Socialists came in for a. severe gruelling from Mr Atmore, and as was to ho expected their replies were hardly complimentary. Much of what was said was most unfair to Mr Atmore, and the public will know just what reliance to place upon the remarks made. At. the same time, there is a lesson for Mr Atmore in it all. He himself has repeatedly been most unjust and scathing to opponents. In a way, lie has only been getting some of his own hack and a good deal more, and we trust it will do him good. His usefulness to the country iyill he greatly increased by a. more reasonable attitude towards opponents— and towards those who may happen to differ with, him from time to time. The defeat of Mr Atmorc’s amendment is no indication that his other efforts in the direction of fusion have been wasted. Tn this respect he has done all that an Independent member could reasonably he expected to do and he has done that part well.