POLITICAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 21 July 1925, Page 6

POLITICAL

“THE NATIONAL PARTY”

MR, WILFQRD {PLEASED WITH ‘ 'MARVELLOUS RESPONSE’'

The. first candidate for political honours under tlie banner of the National Party has been selected, says The Post. The leader of the party states that the change in the name of the Lib. eral-Labour Party has been the subject of many congratulatory letters and telegrams and messages received by him over the'week-end. '“The Leader, of the National Party, Mr T. M. Wilford, announced this afternoon that- at a branch meeting of the National Party held at Gisborne on Saturday night Mr George Smith was chosen as the local candidate of the National Party at the coming General Election. Mr Smith is a prominent business man in Gisborne, and was recently chairman of the Gisborne Harbour Board. The sitting member for Gisborne is Mr W. D. Lvsnar, a supporter of the Coates Administration.

Intimation has also been received by Mr Wilford that Mr Richard Cobbe, of Feilding, will stand for the National Party at the next election against Mr Gordon Elliott, the Reform candidate. Mr Wilford stated" to-day that- the manifesto issued on Friday night, in which; He'announced the change, in the njuhe of'the'Liberal-Labour Party had •met with a marvellous response already. The Gisborne branch had telegraphed its congratulations, and had altered its name to that of the new party; furthermore, it had selected the first Nationalist candidate. The Feilding, branch of the old party had communicated its allegiance to the new party, and the brandies at AVaimate, Dunedin, Christchurch, Bulls, Alar ton, and Auckland, City had also telegraphed congratulations, and had offered assistance. From Christchurch camfe an offer of a Nationalist candidate, who never before •Had stood for or even been an active supporter of the Liberal-Labour Party. Tn a letter received this morning from a Reform supporter in Wairarapa, in the constituency of the Minister of Lands, the writer conveyed good wishes, and stated that he had discussed the position with twenty of his Reform friends since the issue of the manifesto, and all would stand behind the Nationalist candidate.

A CHARGE OF POLITICAL

CL AIM-JUMPING

One comment passed on the resolution of the Liberal-Labour 'caucus to proceed with the formation of a National Party, says the Dominion, is that it amounts to nothing else than political claim-jumping. The Prime Minister, in his rejoinder to Air AVilford, put this charge in gentler language when lie said that the Liberal-Labour move was an illustration of the old adage that imitation was the sinccrest form of flattery. As to the facts, it may be pointed out that in his statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday last, cm the subject of the fusion negotiations, Mr Coates, after denying that the door was “branged, bolted, and barred,” proceeded:

Oil the contrary, the door is open for all those who believe in a strong and stable Government with a progressively national policy to give a. helpful support in passing through the House such legislation as is necessary in the interests of the country, and when that work is completed, we can go to the country aft,er the dissolution of the present Parliament as a Constitutional or National Party with a policy which will he announced at the proper time, and which will conserve both, the peace and prosperity of the Dominion.

In deciding to “proceed with; the formation of, a National Party,” which ' will bring into active co-operation thqse who desire real progress on sound constitutional lines,” it is clear that tin* Liberal-Labour Party adopted both the party name and aims proclaimed earlier in the week by the Prime Minister.

“THE END OF THE LIBERAL

PARTY”

“Although Mr Wilford’s manifesto is not otherwise taken seriously, it is regarded as of some importance in dropping the curtain finally on a party that Jong played a dominant part in New Zealand politics. It is being recalled in the Parliamentary lobbies that at a comparatively early stage in Mr Wilford’s leadership the old name of Liberal Party was abandoned for the hyphenated name the party has since borne. By those who do net belong to the Liberal Party it is considered surprising that some of the members who support Air Wilford were willing to- take the further step of dropping their old party' name altogether. Some members cf the Liberal-Labour Party never belonged to the Liberal Party, hut others have always been classed as staunch Liberals, and it is suggested that oven if they have acquiesced in the recent transformation act (the decision the Liberal-Labour caucus on the point is officially stated to have been unanimous), they cannot have done so with much .pleasure or satisfaction. “ANOTHER POLITICAL STEAL”

Tiie “star” jests of the legislative season of 1925 are undoubtedly those of Mr Holland and Mr Wilford, comments the New Zealand Times. Mr Holland set the fashion in political pilfering bv presuming to lay hands on the Seddonian mantle. Mr Wilford lias gone one better by appropriating the thunder of the Prime Minister without permission and without warning. Who' said our politics were dull? On the contrary, they are beginning to be one delightful surprise after another. There are signs that- Mr Holland already is sorry for his rather egregious faux pas. Taxed with t'he absurdity, he replies: “I never did it.” We wonder what Mr Wilford will say a few months lienee.

It would be a mistake to regard the Lib.-Labs’ usurpation of the Government’s national ideals ns even faintly resembling a political crisis. You may more appropriately call it either a joke or a stupid error in tactics, as you please. As we remarked in our news columns on Saturday, all that the Lib.Labs. have done is to change their name, to replace the sign-plate for another which pulled all too little business. The political traders behind the shingle are the same old crowd who were dickering up till last week with their rivals for a share of the loaves and ■fishes of office.

Apparently the Lib.-Labs, have convinced themselves there is magic in a mere- title, otherwise they could not seriously have perpetrated this thing. They will find it difficult to draw recruits from the other side with such a palpable “stunt.” No intelligent person will be deceived by this papier-mache bomb. The, Nationalist-minded folk will remember -that the present Liberal Har.ty.qua party has no past, except one \yhiofl does not bear recalling, and no discernible future. They will remember this, too: that Mr Wilford has not a distinguished record as a leader, whereas Mr Coates can show a really useful one'. It is further in his favour that he is half as strong again in the House as' the Lib.-Labs.

It would be only emphasising the obvious and investing an incident with an importance beyond its deserts to discuss at length the flimsiness of the Liberal

pretensions to form the spearhead of a nationalist movement! I osiortlay, as it were, Mr Wilford professed to lie all for the community a* against party. Today, the group of which he is formally in charge proposes to drive the wedge of division deeper and deeper; unless, of course, the Reformers are content tie fall in behind them. But what tail i;-: allowed (o wag Lie body in those on lightened.-tim as?.

As we "have said, the whole affair is a, joke, if perhaps a wintry one. AYhen his audience has finished smiling with Mr Wilford, il will laugh at him. He is destined to go down in our history as a ■man who was always too clever ever to be a big politician.