LOYALTY FIRST

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10922, 24 August 1928, Page 5

LOYALTY FIRST

UNITED REFORM PARTY

HOW FIGHT WILL BE WON.

The cohesion which lias existed in the ranks of the Itctorill Party since its return to power in 1925 was touched on by tiie Prime Minister in his address before the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Political \ Reform League • It is easy to criticise,” said Mr * Coates, “and the amazing thing is that so many of our own supporters are not aware of the achievements of the Government. Listen to the man in the tramcar trouncing the Government, while the Reform listener looks on helplessly'. Why? Because it is not fortified with an answer. In fact, he or she is ready to listen. Yet there are a few tabloid answers which would effectively and truthfully dispose of any arguments which can be brought against us. “All 1 have to say in' that connection is that if we are going -to win we must fight, not only here, and in Parliament on the hustings, but every man and woman, and ©very child who can talk, must be able to say to our opponents, ‘You are wrong —1 am not going to have any wool pulled over my eyes. This is the position,’ . . . And then he or she should be ready to state what the position is. A very few simple arguments will turn what is a defeat for our opponents into a rout. You probably have a bettgy idea about the future than anyone else, and I know you will do your very best. “I believe we have as loyal and compact body of men in Parliament as any party ever had. I know there are some who think that the leader of the party and certain members of the Cabinet are not all they should te. and everyone is entitled to his or her private opinion. But take the actual results. Take the results of the voting in Parliament through the lake three sessions. Have the members- of our party split- on any occasion ? That is the real test, and it is the only test. And I think it will be the test when we go *o l-ia-e hustings.” •POLICY AND PERFORMANCE.” “AA'hen we issue our policy, programme and give an account of the work that has been accomplished during the past three years, it will not only answer the critics, but it will create, 1 hope, incentive and enthusiasm to young and old supporters of the Reform Party to adhere to those principles which we stand for. The slogan of the party lias been ‘Policy and Performance.' In regard to policy, let me emphasise that car objection is legislation in the interests of all the people, not in the interests of any one class.” Tn the ah >ve words the Prime Minte- (Rt. Hun. J. G. Coates) opened his address to delegates of the New Zealand Political Reform League assembled in Wellington at the Dominion conference this week. Proceeding to review some of the Government's achievements, the Prime Minister said that sometimes it was whispered that the Government favoured the farmers overmuch. “Well, if we do we ought to get praise for i: and not abuse.” he affirmed*. "Of course, the party is well represented by farmers in Parliament —in fact, there has never.' so far as I can remember, been such a large representation of the farming community members of Parliament in office, but general economic depression. affecting particularly the primary producers. creates difficulties. and in times of difficulty theory of the fault-finder is heard in the land. Everybody, I think, will agree that eve have passed through abnormal times —-that has been the experience of many Governments in the past —and those who are in the habit of criticising the Government should remember that these abnormal times have been caused by factors operating outside New Zealand. The best test of how New Zealand is regarded is the searchlight of public opinion outside the Dominion—the -opinion in which we are held by those with whom we do business, and from whom we borrow money. These opinions, coming as they do from abroad, must give us a very heartening stimulus, because all -chose who are not prejudiced on ae•onnt of party considerations, must admit that outsiders regard the Dominion as a particularly well-govern-ed and well-administered country.