The Wanganui Chronicle SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1929. PRE-ARRANGED CONFLICTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 8

The Wanganui Chronicle SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1929. PRE-ARRANGED CONFLICTS

the sham fight over the restoration of the cuts of civil servants’ salaries between the Labour Party and the Government was staged the comic element of it was so apparent that we characterised it as a “make-believe combat with cardboard swords.” That this characterisation fitted the pantomiming is now confirmed by Mr Kerr, the United Party’s candidate in the Hutt by-election. Mr Kerr has publicly stated that Mr Wilford did not frame Labour’s motion concerning the restoration of the cuts in civil servants’ salaries, “But I say it was pre-arranged,” he repeated. The questioner: “Arranged with whom ’’ Mr Kerr: “I won’t say who it was pre-arranged with- but it was pre-arranged.” This confirms the obvious, and would identify the United Party and the Labour Party in back door bargaining for all practical purposes. But the leaders of these two parties could not let well or ill alone. Apparently the old Greek saying “Those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad,” still holds good in New Zealand politics. A discreet silence on everybody elsc’s part would have let the damage rest where it lay. What, however, did the leaders of the two parties do. Hero is the sesucnce of events. The hot brick dropped by Mr Kerr was published in Thursday morning’s Dominion. In Thursday’s Evening Post Mr Eraser wrote: “These facts are corroborated . . . by Mr Forbes in his statement in to-night’s Post.” How did lie know what Mr Forbes was going- to say? Why this collaboration? Collaboration is not corroboration! But this confusion is made worse confounded by Mr Fraser’s own message. He tells now' that Mr Holland thrice warned Mr Forbes of Labour’s intentions. This is indeed very accommodating, surely. And yet when Mr Holland did draw his cardboard sword on behalf of the civil servants he expressed the hope that the Government would treat the measure as a recommendation from the House. Fearing no danger in spite of three previous “warnings’’ Mr Forbes gallantly bared his breast for the threatened assault by declaring that he must treat Mr Holland’s motion as one of no-confidence. How brave! This then is the history of Labour’s “attack’’ on the Government in regard to the salary cuts. Three warnings are given. Then there was an arrangement come to in regard to the motion which Mr Holland moved. Mr Kerr gave the show away. Mr Frazer and Mi’ Forbes collaborated together to handle the situation which Mr Kerr had created. The close relationship between the United Party and the Labour Party stands revealed. It would be more desirable for these two parties to come out plainly and say “We are wedded in an unholy matrimony and we are doing all we can to prevent an injudicious separation.” Meanwhile the public can enjoy the joke and n-t accordingly.