THE UNITED PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20959, 24 February 1930, Page 10

THE UNITED PARTY.

THE .CAUCUS PROCEEDINGS. THREE MEMBERS RETIRE, i 1 k ; PARTY,LOYAL TO LEADER. , . MR.CLINKER’S; VISIT TO PRIME . MINISTER. * (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 22. “The United Party is as solid as a rock, and/the caucus was: not in the least disturbed when the three disgruntled members left the room,” said Mr R. W. Hawke, M.P., this morning on his return from the caucus of the United Party in Wellington. Mr Hawke said that no regrets were expressed at the departure of Messrs Jenkins, Fletcher, and Broadloot, These members had been harmful to the party, and it was the best thing that could have happened that' they should join the ranks of the Independents, where they rightly belonged. When asked; if there was any possibility of further defections, Mr Hawke replied, “ Never bn your life. These chaps were more or less disgruntled right from the start, and we had a good ■ deal of difficulty with , them during the session. No one who had a rekpect for party could feel happy while associated with them. It is a case of men, young' in public life, showing their disappoint- • ment because they could not realise their ambitions. They all had aspirations for Cabinet rank, and because they did not get it they became dissatisfied. Those of us who sat near them in the " House lost session were disgusted'with their attitude, and'often tackled them on their lack of loyalty to the "party.” Mr Hawke declared emphatically that ,-/ there was not the slightest desire within the ipafty to depose Sir .Joseph Ward from the position of leader. "We are ■/ absolutely solid in our loyalty to him,” he added, “ and we have every confidence that he will be restored to complete health, and that his voice and his talents will be felt in the House next session. Mr Clinkard, the member for Rotorua, told the caucus that he had seen Sir ; Joseph Ward the previous day for an hour,, and that he was making a verv ; wonderful recovery.. Every member of > the party feels happy fo-day -for what has taken place. As a party wo are not a bit disturbed, * because the attitude, of the men whtLhave .withdrawn from the party was a credit to ! themselves or to the party. I feel sure ' that they will never be returned to the House at any future ‘ election. The United Party will,now go forward as a solid body, more'determined than ever before to do what'it considers is best in the-interests of the Dominion.” ■ : ■' ■ > MR FORBES’S VERSION. ’ . v. THE RECENT CAUCUS., ; • ' EXCELLENT, WORK DONE. (Per Dnlted Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 23. . Mr Davy’s statement was referred to Mr G. W. Forbes who, in the absence of the Prime- Minister, presided at the recent gathering of parliamentary, mem-' hers of the'United Party in Wellington. _ .Mr Forbes stated that the meeting had been called bn the institution of the Prime Minister, and it had been Sir Joseph Ward’s intention to have been /present,; It was purely a meeting of the parliamentary members of the party and the Dominion Executive,; together with, certain other gentlemen who were recognised heads of the party in various parts of the country. It was not, nor was it intended to be a conference respecting the. Party’s organisanon, as suggested by Mr Davy. “I can state emphatically that very valuable -work was accomplished, particularly in laying down the basis of the future reorganising of the party, and placing it on a much more satis- . factory footing tlian waa the case during Mr - Davy’s tenure ,of the i position of organiser, and later as chairman of •. the organisation,” said Mr Forbes. “In \ spite of. ■ what took place at the commencement of the including the not altogether ’unexpected resignation of one member of the party, the subsequenL proceedings were marked by the utradsifharmony.” , A FARCICAL . MEETING. . MR DAVY’S VIEWS, , BICKERINGS AT CONFERENCE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 22. . “The United Party Conference is possibly, the most farcical political meeting ever reported to the public, particularly as the organisation generally was not aware officially that it was to take place,” said Mr A. E. Davy, former chairman of the Dominion Executive of the United New Zealand ' Political Organisation, in a statement, in the course of which ho said: “In a letter sent -by Mr Vincent Ward to, 'Messrs M‘Grnth, Lonergah, Perry, Kerr, Burns, Sievwright,, and i, Henderson, he states: 1 X have also written on my father’s instructions to several friends of the party as decided at the meeting we had recently in the Cabinet room, asking them to be here on Friday, February 21.’ It is quite evident, therefore, that the only ones who were advised that a conference was to take place were the members o' the Dominion Executive named above and several friends—namely, Messrs J. T, Hogan (Independent member for Rangitikei), Stevenson (chairman of Sir Joseph Ward’s committee in Invercargill), Solomon, K.O. /(Dunedin), J. R. Hayward (Christchurch), J. Trevcthick (Auckland), E. Masters (Stratford), and A. Jull (Waipawa). This is the boasted ■ conference of the United New Zealand Political Organisation, called to discuss important matters'in connection with the organisation. It is a joke to suggest that the conference was representative. No one delegate had been appointed by his branch or centre. The elimination of headquarters organisation is aimed at. Far from being the happy family gathering that Mr Hawke would have ns believe, the caucus, according to my information, was the reverse Mr Forbes .attempted, to wield the big stick, but it proved a weapon of straw. It is rather significant that Mr Broadfoot was one of the founders of the party, and was its first announced candidate, * Criticism evidently is not to be tolerated. That the departure of these members was not regretted is untrue. Is it not a fact that nearly two hours were taken np with pleading persuasion by numerous members, including the Independent member for Rangitikei and members of the Cabinet? ; Despite the attempt to whitewash Sir Joseph Ward and the Cabinet there was a strong undercurrent throughout the proceedings. Charges and counter-charges and ultimatums were the order of the day. lam more than ever reminded of the ostrich which, when danger threatens, is supposed to hide its head in the sand. The conference was obviously called to provide that sand, and the motion of confidence and loyalty, passed by those few devout men who were present, will prove as valueless as that , same sand to the ostrich. By the same token I notice that the leader of the

Reform Party has been equally busy gathering sand. I a very short time the public will realise that the statements I made recently were founded on facts, and that the need is greater than ever for the public to take a hand and bring these party manoauvrings and bickerings to an end.” THE NEW INDEPENDENTS. MR BROADFOOT IN- CAUTIOUS MOOD. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 23. '* I have nothing to discuss. People have been making all kinds of assertions since the caucus. Ido not know what authority they may have for them/' said Mr W. J. Broadfoot, in reply to an inquiry regarding his having left the United Party caucus with Mr J. S. Fletcher. Mr Broadfoot merely laughed when it was suggested that he was “ disgruntled " regarding his non-inclusion in the Cabinet. Mr Fletcher stated that he intended to confer with his committee this week, and later to make a statement, as promised, in regard to the Government’s handling of the unemployment problem, '