“REFORM HAS HAD TRIAL”

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1931, Page 11

“REFORM HAS HAD TRIAL”

CALAMITY IF RETURNED

UNITED ENTITLED TO SUPPORT.

MR. LYSNAR FORECASTS ELECTION.

(By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night.

A declaration that it would be a calamity if Reform were returned to power was made by Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Independent, Gisborne) in the House of Representatives to-day. “Reform has had, its trial and how the United Party should be given a run,” he said. Mr. Lysnar attributed.- the difficulties the Government was at present facing in large measure to the extravagance of the Reform Administration. The present Government had done its best to meet the situation, and it was entitled to a fail- triial. Nobody liked the taxation proposals, but these were absolutely necessary. Reform had failed in its duty in not supporting the United Party two years ago, and was only doing so now under the lash of outside opinion. It had left the Government at the mercy of the extreme Labour Party. “It was worth the price, however,” added Mr. Lysnar, “to get rid of the Reform Party. I was hitched up with it for ten years.” Mr. J. A. Nash (Reform, Palmerston North): Not hitched up. It pushed you off.

Mr. Lysnar: It did nothing of the sort; I pushed it off. Until the United Party reared its head I had no one else to support except my Labour friends, arid they knew there was a big cavern between us, which I could not jump. All the Reform Party is looking for is office. It will not be content until it gets hold of the Cabinet positions. He accused the Reform Party of. standing for big commercial interests, and if the people of the Dominion were wise; he said, they would put Reform candidates at the bottom of the poll. He trusted the Reform Party weuld not be able to rear its head after the next general election. Mr. Lysnar added that he was looking to the United Party to come back stronger, and the Labour Party would perhaps secure a few more seats.