NATIONAL PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22489, 5 August 1936, Page 17

NATIONAL PARTY

Sir, —Mr. X. Thompson is evidently perturbed by the obvious weakness of the Opposition Party, but 1 think that he fails to grasp the reasons for it Certainly one of the main causes of Labour's sweeping victory was the unpopularity of the Coalition leaders, but this was brought about by their ineffective dealing with the situation which had developed since the world war. Messrs. Forbes and Coates asked the people of this Dominion for four years to carry out a plan which, as far as I know, has never been divulged. To-day there is a big revival in the timber industry and the building trades and any good tradesman can get work, but many of those put off in the past are too old to take it, and have joined the sustenance men and relief workers, liven if there is no immediate decrease in the unemployment figures, it should be remembered that it is mid-winter; that finance has to be arranged, also that there is a reactionary element doing its best to impede the Government. Mr. Thompson's suggestion that the bulk of New Zealand people agree with his view that all the anti-Labour elements should combine to overthrow the present Government, 1 think, is far from the truth. Even if prices have gone up, there is evidence of a large increase in the spending power of the people, who are more cheerful and show an improved morale. On Mr. Thompson's own showing, there is no capable leader outside of the Labour Party. W.E.'M.