“PATHETIC ATTITUDE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1044, 7 August 1930, Page 10

“PATHETIC ATTITUDE”

LABOUR AND ITS VOTE FOR GOVERNMENT REFORM’S STRONG CRITICISM 'THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Wednesday. 44 11 was really pathetic,” said Mr. A. Harris (Reform —Waitemata) in the House of Representatives today during the Budget debate, “to see the way in which Labour members went into the lobbies on a division at the crack of the Government whip." This remark drew a barrage of heckling from • the Labour benches and soon Mr. Harris was “up to the neck” in an argument. Mr. Harris maintained that the Government really was kept in office by the vote of Labour, as was shown by the fact that the acknowledged Independents in the House had voted with the Reform Party on the no-con-fidence amendment on the Budget. -You make no mistake,” said Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour —Christchurch South). “We’ll bide our time.* Mr. Harris could visualise very easy victory for Reform at the r\ext election. Mr. J. McCombs (Labour —Lyttelton): You’re an optimist. Tho public was tired. Mr. Harris maintained, of this make-believe business, and his personal opinion was that the sooner there was a genera.l election to clear the atmosphere the better. “Hear, hear,” said Mr. C. A. W ilkinson (Independent —E^mont). The public, said Mr. Harris, wanted a stabFe Government, and one in which it had confidence. There was no public confidence in the United Government. although Labour still supported it. It must be acknowledged that the Labour Party as it was today was no longer a force in politics. It was a lot of froth and bubble. The LeaderVf the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland: Why worry about it. then? Mr. Harris said that he was not worrying, but he had a right to put on record what he thought. The. Budget was one thing which should influence the Labour Party to vote against the Government; the Labour Party said it would not vote to put Reform back, but the public would not swallow that explanation. It was a case of political hara-kiri by Labour, and Mr. Harris was sorry to see it. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour —Auckland Central): Thank you very much. “COMBINATION GOVERNMENT* Mr. Harris continued that, although once he had really thought it possible that Labour would be the official Opposition after the next election, now he thought it would not be possible. He suggested a combination of the Labour and United Parties, with a toss-up to decide upon Labour-United or UnitedLabour as a name. Mr. Harris referred to a newspaper cartoon showing the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Labour Party fraternising. The title was “United.” He could imagine one of them saying. “Are wo friends, Harry?” and the other replying “Yes. bosom pals. George.” The Leader of the Labour Party: “Don’t you think both of us ought to have an action for libel against that paper?” The cartoon, said Mr. Harris, was very true. New Zealand was coming back to the two-party system. It would be Reform against the rest, and the rest would have a long rest after the election.