OFFICE AT ANY PRICE?

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 October 1928, Page 4

OFFICE AT ANY PRICE?

WHETIIER the party that was once the Liberal, then the National, now the United, is destined to play a more prominent part after the election is uncertain. Some critics have said that its big hope is to gain sufficient seats to entitle it to regain the position of leading the Opposition h; Parliament. Several members of the new Party have frankly stated that they will do nothing that would put the Socialist Labour Party on the Treasury benches. At least one (Mr

J. 15. Donald, Auckland East), however,

has declared that in the event of no Party being in a majority in the House ho would advocate Labour and the United Party combining to oust the Government. That declaration should not be allowed to pass unheeded. It is tan-

tamount to a cry of "Office at any price!" We do not bolieve Sir Joseph Ward would support it, nor would Mr Vcitch, Mr Seddon, Mr Sievwright, or Mr McLachlan, who are among those members of the United Party wlio have pronounced themselves as emphatically opposed to such a Hnking-up. Still, tho statement has been made by an official United candidate, and will undoubtedly sway the votes of many wavering Reform supporters, who, while disapproving of some of the Government's actions yet realise that Reform represents saneness and soundness in major issues, and is to bo much preferred to a Government constituted by an .unholy alliance between tho United Party and the Labour-Social-ist Party with its dangerous objective. Such an alliance might easily produce most disastrous results for the country.