REFORM POLICY.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17679, 2 September 1929, Page 5

REFORM POLICY.

NEW SPIRIT SHOWN.

PRESSING THE GOVERNMENT.

WOULD WELCOME ELECTION.

(Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept.' 2.. Political onlookers outside Parliament will realise from last week's lively happenings that a new spirit is being shown by the Reform Opposition. Twice within a week the Government has been threatened by amendments moved from the front Opposition bench, and" on each occasion Sir Joseph Ward and his supporters have had to make a careful stock-takfng of their resources. After' Reform's preliminary assurances to the Prime Minister that it was prepared to give him a fair opportunity to present his policy, it is quite apparent, and admitted by all members of the House, that this tolerant attitude has given way to definite hostility, which will go the full length of precipitating a crisis if voting material is available for success.

What is the reason for this sudden iphjamge>?' It can lye heard discussed in the lobbies, because a number of Reform members have been declaring that the party funds were never more flourishing, and that they could stand the expenses of another election without strain. Those who hear these confident statements say they, are based on guarantees from the landed interests, which woiild like to see a political upheaval before the new taxation proposals can be put into statute form. The bills not having been introduced, if a crisis could be. forced, the new. taxation would be avoided. Thus there would be nothing to lose by running the hazard. Mr. Coates has shown an inclination to try this course, but H remains to be seen whether the Independents and the Labour members, who have been freely discussing the points mentioned above, will agree with equal readiness to make another venture into the electioneering turmoil.