ELECTION PROSPECTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 11

ELECTION PROSPECTS

UNBROKEN COALITION PRIME MINISTER'S VIEW PARTY FEELING DEPRECATED The Coalition between the Reform and United Parties, from wliicli the present Government was formed, is still regarded by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, as a political unit, and from what he said in an interview in Christchurch this week he expects that at the next election the Coalition will go to' the country in its present form. Mr. Forbes said that it was unthinkable in such a time of serious national difficulty that the party issue should be raised. The responsible elements in the community, he said, must still work together "to keep the country on the rails." Mr. Forbes was asked to comment on a reported statement by the Minister of Lands, Mr. Ransom, that at the next election he would seek reelection for Pahiatua ip the interests of the Coalition. Mr. Forbes said that neither lie himself nor any member of his Government would dream of party interests when the Dominion was still facing such serious problems. There were still national tasks to bo met, and they must be met by a National Government.

"I agree with Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Sir John Simon and Mr. Ramsay MacDonald," said Mr. Forbes, "when they say that, party feeling has been sunk in a common desire for national security." He said that his belief in the desirability of national government had been strengthened by the unanimous support of his own electorate and he believed that tho country as a whole realised the benefits of solid coalition administration.

A suggestion that there would be an early election was denied by the Prime Minister. He said that the Government had been perfectly honest with the Opposition when it had denied its intention of springing an election on the country. Such a course had not been considered.