The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1924. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 26 June 1924, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1924. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament opens to-day with tbo customary gubernatorial pronouncements. Usually tbe Speech from tire Xlnone is a somewhat colourless documeut designed j more to compel members to talk than to disclose the Government's policy, it is noteworthy that tlie party leaders are at tbe topi o i their form—all supremely confident that tbe favours of tbe electors are about to fall upon their deserving beads. There is much talk of new parties and tbe political carpet-bagger bas liis ear to tbe ground. Tbe LiberalLabour Party is very uneasy, since tbe southern journal dealt out some borne truths to the remnant of tbe old regime. Mr Wilford’s second lieutenant, Mr j Forbes, however, lias been trying to put new heart into- tbe decimated ranks. “These' rumours of new parties are a clear sign that Toryism bas run its race and is now devising expedients to delay tbe advent of Liberalism; but they will be futile, tbe country wants a change and will have it.’/ j declared Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P., 1 when asked wliat were bis views concerning the report from Auckland regarding the proposal to form a National Party. Mr Forbes who is a. member of the executive of tbe Liberal-Labour Party, , added that all tbe talk of" new . parties was at present in tbo j clouds; there was nothing tangible on which one could base an opinion except that tbe Auckland branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union bad stated that it intended to run candidate® in/tbe interests of the farming community. The Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party is not unnaturally interested in the persistent talk about new parties. Interviewed in Christchurch en route to-the session, with respect ; to the reported effort to form a, j new political party, Mr H. E. | Holland, the Labour Leader, said j it was quite clear that for some ] time forces making for disin- j tegration had been at work within both the Reform and Liberal Parties, and that the whole trend of events was toward an ultimate blending’ of tile main element® of those parties. The record of the Voting in the main divisions of the more recent sessions, and the consistent manner in which the Reform Party had been held in office by the votes of either some or all of' the Liberals 'furnished . evidence, Mr Holland contended, | that there was no wide difference ! in the Reform and Liberal poli- j cies—that such differences as existed were purely of a personal ; character. In the meantime, Mr j Massey is hard at work preparing the legislative programme, and paving no attention to his critics. ; The political quidnuncs are _ pro- I mising an interesting and lively session. There is talk of an : election this year. It is doubtful, | however, if an appeal to the country will be made, since the experiences of Mr Baldwin and General Smuts should convince nil party leader’s of the utter futility of imagining that they can fool the people all the time, and havo recourse to an election whenever fancy leads them in that direc- 1 tion. It is expected that powerful influences will be exerted against the Prime Minister, but. we art. satisfied that a large proportion of the airy talk about having an election, savours very much of bluff, and it is nuite on the cards that the mhifile session, ns bas been found in recent years, will be full of work of a more or less useful character.