MR WRIGHT’S BLACK MARK

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12181, 4 July 1925, Page 5

MR WRIGHT’S BLACK MARK

HE WAS ONCE A SOCIALIST “I HAVE ALWAYS REPENTED,” BUT -- LABOUR GIBES RESENTED Mr R. A. Wright, the Reform member for Wellington Suburbs, was in good form in the House last night, when lie dealt with the gibes that Labour has been hurling across the floor of the House at its opponents respecting the fusion negotiations. Mr Wright said that Labour accused the Liberals of wanting to sell their political souls, and that in return they were being kicked by Reform. But he asked who first suggested that the two parties should merge. He answered the question himself, saying that it was Labour who did so. Labour accused both parties of being Tory and of the capitalistic class, only that Reform was a little more Tory than Liberal. “This facing both ways,” he said, “baffles me entirely. It seems they

speak either way, according to tha mood of the speaker or according to the views of the situation at the moment.” One speaker had said the Liberals were going cap in hand to the Reform Party, who kicked them in return. Never was a more unjust statement made. He held no brief for the Liberal Party, but ho said they had never attempted to sell themselves. All along, through the negotiations they had conducted themselves as gentlemen, and it was most unjust to accuse them f selling themselves to the Reform Party, and to add that the Reform Party was kicking them. This Was misrepresenting the position, and endeavouring to make capital out of it. Labour all along had urged there should he a merger between the two parties. Why did not they stand there, instead of attacking one of the parties who were now negotiating regarding a merger. Attacks were made upon the more moderate members of the House, Mr Wright added, because they were opposed to Communism. If the time ever came in New Zealand when thv Labour Party was on the treasury benches, would they he- able to control the extreme elements in their own party or prevent them from capturing the machinery of government? It had happened in Australia that the best men had been driven right out. Mr J. O’Brien: Is that why you left the Socialist Party? Mr Wright: I was a member of the Socialist Party. I plead guilty, and i have always repented in sackcloth and ashes, and like Banquo’s whost this sin hnunts me. . . .It is the only black mark ill my political career, and all the waters, of the Jordan don’t seem to he ablg to wash it out. Mr Wright added that in his young days’he did believe it would be an excellent thing to have Socialism, hut when he saw the men round him he ohahged his opinion, for he found that they could not run their own little tin-pot show and pay their way, so he did not imagine they were the men

who could run tile affairs of th© country, A Labour member: There was no money in it? Mr Wright said that his experience was that as soon as a man got a little money together he ceased to be a Socialist. Mr Monteith: That is your experience. Mr Wright: And it will he the honourable member’s too.