LEADERS RETICENT ABOUT FUSION

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12185, 9 July 1925, Page 6

LEADERS RETICENT ABOUT FUSION

PRIME MINISTER UNAWARE OF BREAK IN NEGOTIATIONS LABOUR MEMBERS THROW MORE BRICKS VARIOUS MEMBERS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON AMALGAMATION A statement was published yesterday that it was understood the fusion negotiations had come to an end, and that no agree* ment was possible. Official confirmation of this could not be obtained last night. The Prime Minister said he knew nothing of it, which indicates that so far as he is concerned there is no need for the negotiations to be at an end. The Leader of the Liberal Party, Mr Wilford, was not in the House last night, but he was communicated with by telephone and he said that at the present time he had no statement to make. The Liberals continue to take little or no part in the no-confidence debate. It is expected the division on Mr Holland's' amendment will be reached to-night. After that Mr Atmore’s amendment is to come. It was thought Mr Atmore’s seconder would be the Hon. J. A. Hanan, but it is understood now that Mr J. C. Thomson, the Liberal member for Wallace, will fill the role. Mr Thomson, it is gathered, intends to stand for Wallace at the general election as a Nationalist.

Various members of the House made reference to fusion during yesterday’s debate. Mr J. O’Brien, the Labour member for Westland, said he did not think he could let the opportunity pass. He did not know whether the political courtship between the .Reformers and the Liberals was going to end in marriage, but he believed that if it did the Labour members would hold out both hands, and say: “God bless you, my children. Get into the one camp.” Some thought it would end in a breach of promise case, and some thought it would end in an affiliation case. REPUDIATING SEDDON There was one thing that was clear—the Liberals had to repudiate Ballance and Seddon, and others who- had gone before them. Mr Parry: They have done that long ago. Mr O’Brien: They have to do it thoroughly this time. Mr O’Brien said that some of them were prepared in their political intrigue to repudiate anything and everything to gain their ends. The Government was in the dock for plunging the country into more debt than it had ever known before, and for debauching the political life of the country. Mr Speaker: Order. , Mr O’Brien: Very well, sir, I withdraw that word. Mr O’Brien said that the Government had drawn from the Liberal benches almost everv man they could get over, and now they had the lines out well baited. A whole lot of the Liberals were angling to-day to get over on the Reform benches to try and pinch a portfolio or two. THE CAKE’S DOUGH *‘T hear to-night that the wedding’6 off,” said Mr F. N. (Grey Lynn) »in mock sorrow. / A Labour voioe: The cake’s dough! Mr Bartram: The parties concerned ought to have been married long ago; they’ve been smoodging in the dark long enough. But I’ve been much exercised in my mind, for which is the bride? We are very ©orry that the wedding’s off. We were preparing a kitchen .evening for them, and I don’t know what to do with my present. ] have got a rat trap for the Prime Minister! (Laughter.) ‘JHorrible humbug” was how he described tlje whole of the negotiations. The parties had been talking about fusion, but he knew what had been the trouble. “When fusion takes place in m> 1 house in Aucklandi some of the lights go out. That’s been the trouble, Ms Speaker. Some of the lights had to go out. And they feared that some of them would have to go into the confusion of the outer darkness, with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

MR LYSNAR CHAMPIONS IT Vigorously Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) championed fusion. “I have not had my head behind the scenes in this matter,” said Mr Lyenar, “but every session I have urged that there should be fusion between the parties in the interests of Government, and good national Government. This should be complete, not a half and half 6ort of thing, and a definite policy should be agreed upon.” He had hoped that Uie House would be asked' to pass such a proposal, for it rested with them to show the Dominion as a whole that they were m earnest in the mattei. “To be effective it must be on sound lines so that neither one side nor the other gives up any reasonable position which it held. Proper fusion must be one which would appeal to the electors of the Dominion, and unless we have one which to the Dominion as a whojp was favourable it would not be much good. There are difficulties, unquestionably, but they are there to be overcome. I do not wish to say anything to hamper the negotiations; I did not wish to say anything, and I have held off for that reason. But the country as a whole expects fusion. I have met only one man outside who opposed it. I hope that it has not been thrown overboard, and that the difficulties in the way will be surmounted. Something should be none to bring the two loyal sections of the House together against the Bolshevik, revolutionary element, because it comes to that. (Labour laughter.) Mr Lvsnar: I don’t think we need trouble at this late stage as to the definition of a Bolshevik. When I came into this House first our friends were always talking about Russia. That was their pattern. But we don’t hear much about Russia to-day. A Labour member: Ho, we hear about bully beef. Mr Lysnar: They’ve quietly dropped it, but it’s there all the same. (Labour laughter.) REFERENCE IN THE COUNCIL The Hon. W. Earnshaw touched cn the subject in the Legislative Council. “There has been considerable talk about fusion in this country,” he said, “and I regret that the issue has been clouded by the Press in its laudable desirb to let the public know what is going, on. It would have been better : f they had left the question severely alone until the issue was decided. " I am quite sure that the country has whole-hearted confidence in its leader. “No consideration should have been shown one party or the other. ... A call should have been made to all deoent and honourable men to rally round the country and the flag, that and that alone. The question now is which flag yon are going to sens under, the Red Flag or the Union Jack?” He prophesied that three-quarters of the next Parliament would be loyal and true men. and that the extreme element would Riot muster more than twenty in opposition.