FAITH IN MR. FORBES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19098, 20 August 1936, Page 6

FAITH IN MR. FORBES

LEADERSHIP IN HOUSE

NATIONALIST MEMBERS

EXPRESSION OF LOYALTY

(Parliamentary Reporter.) ‘WELLINGTON, this day

An insurgent move, largely (from the north, created a temporary crisis affecting the leadership of the National Party in" the House of Representatives this week, but the. crisis is over with the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes maintaining his position as Lender of the Opposition, reinforced by resolutions oi loyalty from the Parliamentary section of the party. The incident commenced with the publication in a northern newspaper of a suggestion that the leadership was under discussion, although at the time this appears to have been quite incorrect. However, a meeting of the executive ol the National Party had been arranged for this week, and it was one of the surprises to the majority of the executive to find that certain members desired to secure a change in the Parliamentary leadership. ’executive, meeting

Three members of the Parliamentary parly attended the executive meeting, and when through them the move became generally known to their Parliamentary colleagues, there was a quick and ver\ definite reaction. At a meeting last, night well attended by Opposition members, resolutions were passed renewing expressions of loyally to Air. Forbes as leader. Certain, names had been mentioned as alternatives, including that of the member for Wallace, the Hon. A. Hamilton, lmt it is quite clear that the suggestion did not originate from Parliament Buildings, It, should be admitted that a. certain number *>! the original Relorinors who joined the United Parly to form the Coalition Government have always fell a little unhappy that, their section, sujicrior in unmoors, had no opportunity of providing a leader. Although Air. Formes has always been willing to defer to tlie wishes oi the whole party, this week’s' incident has administered a cold douche to any movement to replace him, and resentment lias been expressed at any such attempt being made in the middle of a critical session, especially by a body of non-Parliamentarians.