The Waipa Post. Printed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1925. PARTY POLITICS OVERDONE.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1680, 31 October 1925, Page 4

The Waipa Post. Printed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1925. PARTY POLITICS OVERDONE.

“HE who is not with me, is against me,” said Mr Coates at Te Awamutu, the other night, and at other places since then, in commending Reform candidates to the favourable consideration of the electors, and “if you want me to lead the Government, you should vote for the candidates who officially support the Government.” One would wonder, from those remarks whether each official candidate in the Dominion is tied hand and foot to support the party at all costs; whether he considers the Government is right or otherwise. The Prime Minister says very straightly—and he is to be commended for his straightforwardness—that he does not want any but reliable followers. The member who exercises his own judgment in face of Party decisions is apparently not wanted. If this is what the Government of the country depends upon is it any wonder that many people prefer to vote for a little more freedom in the politics of this Dominion. It is our opinion that there is too much party in the House nowadays and not enough freedom of individual thought and action. The party system was necessary to combat the unity of the Labour element, but it has been rather overdone at times, making individual members either “rats” or hypocrites. If it is persisted in during the life of the incoming Parliament it will surely create anomalous positions. Better far would it have been for Mr Coates to drop his advocacy of a continuance (and perhaps development) of party politics, and relied upon the country having the good sense to elect straightforward, reasonable and moderate men not pledged to follow blindly. There are far more electors with that sense of the fitness of things and the welfare of the country than there are extremists —at both ends —and they all look to Mr Coates as the only possible leader.

We have hitherto referred to the fusion question, and regretted that this consummation was not brought about several months ago, instead of in a few months time—for of the latter accomplishment there can be little doubt.

Under the self-confident and selfsufficient influence of his more militant Ministers, Mr Coates is beginning to discard, if not disparage, any support and assistance that is likely to be proffered from the Nationalist camp. It is under the same influence no doubt that he has issued what is at once a challenge and an appeal—a challenge to the National Party to move aside so that there may be less risk of defeat for his own candidates, and an appeal to the Reform supporters to rally round the party banner. It remains to be seen whether he will gain or lose by the failure to bring about fusion before this election for it is obvious that in the interests of the Dominion the existence of a threeparty system with all its bickerings and waste of effort should be ended as speedily as possible.