POLITICAL FUSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21241, 23 January 1931, Page 8

POLITICAL FUSION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —In your leading article of Saturday morning you renew the suggestion that a National Government should be formed. Having read most of the opinions that have been expressed on the subject, I agree that, a large section of both Reform and United Party supporters would gladly welcome the formation of such a Government out of these two parties, yet I cannot seen how anyone could hope or expect such a party to be formed by our present representatives. When the men belonging to the two parties were elected it was with the expressed intention of putting, or keeping, the other side out. Now, how can we expect them, with their pre-election pledges, and after opposing each other for two sessions, to fall upon each other’s neck and say: “There’s no difference between us; let us form a National Government.” Why. it is not fair to either them or their constituents to expect or advocate anything of the sort. If some sort of bargain was arrived at. I am afraid that instead of fusion the result would be confusion. Before any such happy state of affairs can’ be attained, the first step is to form a National Party outside the House, arrange a national platform, and then hold an election, and if sufficient members pledged to that party are elected, then, and not till then, we will have a National Government. You may say that “ while the grass grows the steed may starve,” but there is no need to wait long for the (political) grass to grow. If the leaders of the two parties, both in and out of the House, are genuinely in earnest to see this arrangement carried out. and would set things in motion immediately, there is nothing to hinder Parliament from assembling within a few weeks to vote immediate supplies and ask the Governor-Gene-ral for a dissolution. Then a new Parliament could be at work by the end of May, and we would have a reasonable prospect of getting something really beneficial done for the poor suffering country. While it is generally taken as a matter of course that the Labour Party must be left out of any negotiations for fusion, this may apply to the present elected members. but I believe that a considerable number of Labour voters throughout the country would welcome and support a National Government, as they, in common with the supporters of the other two parties, are sick of the existing state of parties and would be glad of a change. Hoping to see some of the fusion advocates making a move in the direction I have indicated, —I am. etc., Get Together. Main. January 22.