The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1931. A NATIONAL PARTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1931, Page 6

The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1931. A NATIONAL PARTY.

In inviting the Reform Party “and all others who have the best interests of the Dominion at heart” to co-operate with the United Party in the formation of a new national' party for Now Zealand the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes has done something fine and generous.' During the recent session of Parliament the Prime Minister revealed considerable strength as leader of the House, facing a difficult task with very evident courage. In order to make the offer he has now done he must have needed all his strength and courage, for no man who had won his way to the highest political office in the land could be expected to volunteer his own retirement without feeling very severe pangs of regret. That Mr. Forbes should be willing to become a subordinate Minister, or even a private member , means that he is content to disregard everything in the way of personal interests if by so doing he can help the State. For this he certainly deserves the grateful thanks of his countrymen. Whether the proposal that he has put forward can ultimately effect the results that he contemplates it is impossible to foretell. The next move, of course, is the Reform Party’s. If its members are willing to co-operate with the United Party in the manner suggested by Mr, Forbes it will not be long before the scheme is put to the test, and if a referendum were taken on the subject throughout the country it would probably be found that the great bulk of moderate opinion favoured some kind of amalgamation of the moderate forces. It would follow that rejection of the offer would affect the Reform Party’s prestige in the country, but that obviously is a matter for that party to consider, though it - may be pointed out that in the event of the parties failing to come together and the Reform Party losing caste to some extent the opponents of moderate thought might gain political advantage, to the detriment of the national interests. It is because the welfare of the country as a whole should be the paramount consideration at such a time as the present, and because every effort should be put forth to prevent the possible predominance of class or sectional interests, that the Prime Minister’s offer is important. Frank as he has been during the past three months in his references to the public finances and the pressure of unfavourable economic conditions, in his statement suggesting cooperation of the parties Mr. Forbes has hinted pretty broadly that there are still very great difficulties to be overcome, making it easy for us all to draw the inference that there are very serious days ahead.- He has said in effect that the tasks which lie at hand can only be done by a Government assured of sufficient strength to carry out its policy, and that he is entirely sincere when he says this needs no stronger proof than his own offer of selfeffacement. In his view the national party and the national Government that he envisages can alone afford the necessary guarantee of strength. In the event of the adoption of his plan everything would depend upon the spirit in which the parties accepted it and sought to cany it out. To ensure success the national

party would have to be an entirely new party, not a mere partnership of rival interests cherishing conflicting ideals. During the war period this country had experience of a Coalition nient, which, though it. served its main purpose, was not a happy combination, and caused a good deal of dissatisfaction in Parliament and outside. Moreover, the Coalition Government was apt to abuse its great powers, with results that were in many ways prejudicial to the Dominion's progress. In the Old Country also the war-time Coalition Government was far less successful than it might have been, and it was very largely due to the dissatisfaction engendered, by the Coalition that Great Britain had its first experience of a Socialist Government. It may be that Mr. Forbes’ proposal offers far more alluring prospects than anything in the nature of a. coalition, would do.- The ideal of a party in which all would be for the State is undoubtedly attractive at such a time as the present, when it is essential that the Government should he safeguarded by a sufficient majority against possibilities of grave embarrassment. But it is equally essential that a party formed in order to bring about such a condition should be true to its ideal of service and singleminded in its desire for the country’s good. The formation of such a party is not a matter for hasty action, but rather for serious and searching negotiation until men who have been pursuing somewhat diverse objectives can reach a complete and comprehensive understanding. Otherwise it would be better for the two moderate parties to continue working more or less together as they have done during the emergency session.