THE UNITED PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20958, 22 February 1930, Page 12

THE UNITED PARTY.

The caucus of the United Party yesterday cannot have been a very cheerful gathering. It is conceivable, indeed, that it was a decidedly gloomy gathering. The absence from it of the Prime Minister, who has given to the party most of the strength it has possessed, will itself have had a somewhat depressing effect upon 'the members. Some, at least, of them, can hardly have failed to construe nt as an indication that the recovery by Sir Ward of his health i is proving a slower process thaii 'they, and his hosts of friends throughout the country would desire. And, if his indisposition should unfortunately persist so as to prevent him ■ from active, participation in the proceedings of the next session, they must look forward to the re-assembling of Parliament with a good deal of misgiving. They cannot, in any circumstances', indeed, be other than apprehensive cerning the coming session, since/ if the treatment tiie Prime Minister is undergoing at Rotorua is productive of the restoration of his health his presence -will be claimed at the Imperial Conference, which is to bp opened on September 30, and lie will, in that case, have 1 to leave the conduct of the business of the Dominion for most of the session in the inexpert hands of his colleagues in the Government. Another blow was, however, administered to the party at the caucus in the withdrawal of Mr Jenkins, member for Parnell, from its ranks. The party is not so numerically strong that it can afford to lose even one member. It has now, however, lost two members since the last session. Its numbers m the House are in consequence ‘definitely reduced to less than those of the Reform Party. Mr Fletcher, moreover, while he has not actually deserted the party, desires no further invitations to caucuses. His future role will appar-

ently be that of a candid friend. The Government "will consequently be more nest session than it was last year bn the support that will be afforded to it by the Labour Party. Prom that humiliating prospect, it* may be conjectured, large numbers of the supporters of the Government, in common with Mr Jenkins, will shrink.. The existence of a Government on sufferance illustrates plainly the disadvantages of a three-party system. Mir Jenkins himself looks for relief in the formation of a strong national party comprising the best -elements in the United and Reform parties with, he hopefully adds, possibly some Labourites. A few years ago he would have found all the parliamentary members of the United Party, who are not political neophytes, in agreement with him in the' view he has adopted. In 1925, Mr Atmore, the present Minister of Education, submitted an amendment to the Address-in-Reply in the following terms: — That it is imperatively necessary in the best interests of the Dominion, that a strong, stable National Government . should be formed during the present ses-. sion in order- to provide a comprehen-' sive. policy of reconstruction and economic and social betterment, and by so ministering to the true needs of the people "avert the dangers of a breakdown of representative government add the menace to. orderly progress, now threatening owing to the increase "of parties arid the consequent inability of the Government to function for the welfare of the State.

It is instructive to, observe that this, amendment was supported by sis members of the present Government besides Mr Atmbre. These-six were Mr Forbes (the deputy-leader of the United Party), Mr de la Perrelle (Minister of Internal Affairs), Sir Apirana Ngata (Minister of Native Affairs), Mr Ransom (Minister of Public Works), Sir Thomas' Sidey (Attorney-general) . and' Mr. Veiteh (Minister of Labour). It was supported also by the two whips of the present Government (Messrs Murdoch and S. G. Smith), and. by Messrs Lye and Macpherson, two -of the supporters of the Government in the present Parliament. If, however, there was ah imperative’necessity in 1925 for the formation of a stable Ministry to avert the dangers of a breakdown of representative government, the necessity is all the more imperative at .the present time. Five years ago the Government in office commanded the support of a majority of the members of the House, To-day there is a Government in office that is composed of the members of a party that is not even the numerically strongest of the three parties in Parliament. The position is one in which the system of- represehtativfe government is. brought into discredit. The enjoyment, however, of the sweets of office has‘probably had the effect of altering the whole attitude of Ministers towards a proposal to which they gave their support five years ago. If so, it may be surmised that it can only be through the association of other private members of the House with Mr Jenkins in the course which he favours that any progress can be made during the currency of the present , Parliament towards the attainment of an end that would be: directly in the interests of the people as a whole.