POLITICAL SITUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20963, 28 February 1930, Page 7

POLITICAL SITUATION

UNITED PARTY SPLIT.

REVIEW BY EX-CHAIRMAN. '

(Special xo Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, February 27. An important statement in connection with the present political situation was made this evening by Mr A. E. Davy late chairman of the United Political Organisation, in an exclusive interview with an Otago Daily Times reporter. Speaking of the present position of the United Political Organisation, Mr Davy stated that tha elimination of himself and Mr 0. E. Moller, the resignation of Mi Glover Clarke, provincial organiser for the Auckland Province, and Mr C. Q. Pope, Dominion secretary, and the apparent abandonment of the headquarters office in Wellington, seemed to spell the complete cessation of-the organisation for the United Party. Sir Joseph Ward and his small Cabinet coterie had once again demonstrated that they did not re quire a political organisation. That this was a matter for regret, Mr Davy did not agree. If the aims and ideals of the organisation were put into effect it would mean the opposing of the United Party, which had failed to fulfil its election pledges, and generally was not functioning in the interests of the country. Mr Davy regretted, however, that the original organisation had not been successful in achieving the objects for which it was formed.

To the original members of the organisation in Dunedin he would say that they had played a splendid parf at the last elections, but so little did the men whom they were responsible for putting into power think of them that when important matters in connection with the party and the organisation were being discussed they were not even asked to choose a representative, but one who came in after the battle was over was invited to share in their councils. The Dunedin executive of the United organisation was now only a cipher, and the sooner this was realised the better.

Not even the most optimistic and enthusiastic supporter of any of the three parties in the House believed that the present unsatisfactory position would continue for any length of time, not only from the point of view of the inefficiency of the present Government and its legisla tion or lack of it, but also from the uncertainty arising from the numerical party strengths. This uncertainty reflected itself in many ways in the life of New Zealand—business, commercial, and industrial. Stability was an essential qualification of good government in times ot stress and the present unbalanced position, dominated by an artificially topheavy Government in the form of a oneman autocracy, was having an apparent effect on the country to-day. Political action in the past had been mainly confined to professional politicians and the favoured few who had many interests at stake. •It was 1 obvious that a change would not emanate from this source. It was set in the rut, and the temperament that so marked the professional politician rendered any modern movement impossible.

The great bulk of tht people took an outside interest that increased in proper tion to the extent that their interests were affected. To-day, any eTose observer would note a decided change in this attitude, when self-concern had in most cases been subordinated to factors of greater moment, and as a close observer he made bold to say that this awakened and increasingly active interest was going to have a steadying and ameliorating effect on politics, politicians, legislation, and parties in this country. The electors were beginning to realise that the me s e . f astin g of a vote in favour of a politician did not ensure his honouring his pledges. New Zealanders as a whole displayed a fairly keen sense of business and business-like efficiency. The party manoeuvrings and shufflings, the intrigues and camouflages so beloved by the oldtime politician were rapidly, in the mind of progressive New jZealand, being consigned to the limbo of lost and unwanted things.

. Those useless meanderings and legislation which were purely in the nature reintroduced into our political life were rapidly becoming anathema to the general public. In examining the purely vote-catching motives behind the legislation of_ the past few years, it was interesting to make an analysis of the legislation passed before the Labour Party any sort of menace, and of its beneficial effect on the country and that passed in the last few years. The amount which was obviously a sop to the .unruly leaders of the Socialistic movement, was remarkable. Party legislation was also* prominent and, boiled down, the legislation in ten years which had really done something for the country could be passed by qualified men not working under such conditions in tw T o or three sessions.

It had to be remembered that public action was usually of slow development, but when it was fully grown drastic chauges place almost overnight in search of relief. Such action in small took place at the lasi election. The failure to provide this.and further goading of the public would have only one result, and that would remain with the future. To that section of the organisation which had placed ,the country before the party and which believed that the aims and objects of the party were being fulfilled by the present United Parliamentary Party he would say: The Prime Minister and his Cabinet coterie might believe that they were all in all in our political mght count on the blind following and meek acquiescence of the men who worked so hard to put them in their positions in order to further the ideals as they were led to believe they would be furthered. They might think that he (Mr Davy) had no support and would not carry on with, the course he had set himself—that of loyalty to the many who had supported him in the early stages and of loyalty to the policy which the organisation, not Sir Joseph Ward, drew up; but he wished to assure them that he would continue in his efforts, and it was his intention to tour the Dominion at an early date to weld together and consolidate that section of the organisation which had stood fast” by its tenets.

In conclusion, Mr Davy said that at no time haji he ever wavered in his loyaity to the organisation. He was still firmly convinced that if carried out on the lines on which it was founded l“ ,lld bea l )o 'ver for good in this country. He would always oppose political action or inaction which, to his nund, was detrimental to the Dominion if party prejudice and selfislmess crept * he organisation, then he would right those factions also.

MR FLETCHER’S ATTITUDE. ENDORSED BY COMMITTEES. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 27. The combined committees of the Grev Lynn branch of the United Party tonight heard the explanation of Mr J. S. Fletcher, the member for Grey Lynn" of his attitude to recent developments* in the party, and unanimously carried a motion endorsing Mr Fletcher’s action and expressing continued confidence in him.