NATIONAL PARTY OFFER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 196, 20 August 1931, Page 8

NATIONAL PARTY OFFER

MR. COATES’ REFUSAL OPINIONS OF THE PRESS DUNEDIN, Aug. 19. The Otago Daily Times (Reform) discussing the refusal of Mr Coates to join forces with the United Party in the formation of a National Government, says:— “The spirit and determination which Air Forbes has shown in grappling with an unenviable task have won for him widespread admiration. The feeling must bo entertained, However, by those who are not the must hopelessly blinded of political partisons, that it would have been a patriotic ana statesmanlike decision on the part of the Reform Party, if instead of leaving the Government to bear the whole responsibility, it had agreed to become an active participant in the preparation of a policy desirable in the existing circumstances.” The Evening Star (United) says: “The element of seif-esteem in Mr Coates' assumption that Reform alone knows what is best in the interests of the people is not very flattering to the intelligence of the people. The latter have also been considering their own interests and how they may be jeopardised by the prolongation of the three-party system, which they regard as out of place in to-day’s conditions, but Mr Coates virtually informs them that they are mere infants in political, and should desist from causing their highbrow seniors any more worry.” LET THE ELECTORS DECIDE The New Zealand Herald (Reform) says that there has been no Reform declaration of disapproval of Mr Coates’ refusal of Mr Forbes’ overtures carrying any real weight. “To form a National Government half-way through the last session of an expiring Parliament would be a futile proceeding unless it were done with the specific object of postponing the elections—something the country would not toler ate and should not tolerate,” the Herald remarks. “Sues an arrangement at the end of a Parliament always bears a suggestion that the politicians do not trust the electorate. The general public is not so obtuse as to miss the implication. Those who adopt such an attitude toward the people always obtain their due reward from the people. Air Coates states his position and says he is prepared to let the electors decide. He wishes to submit the issue to the proper court, the only one entitled to give a verdict. It had better be left at that. If those who say the Reform Party and its leader have alienated their supporters are right, the con sequences will fall principally on the Reform Party aid if.r leader. If they are prepared to rake that risk nobody j else should complvn.’* NO HOPE AIR McDOUGALL’S BELIEF. No hope for fusion is held out by the United member for Mataura (Air D. McDougall), who expressed the opinion in the House of Representatives last night that the way was being blocked by the Leader of the Opposition (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) and Reform back-benchers. “It’s no use to the Leader of the Opposition unless he gets into the sad•he.” said Air McDougall. “Personal ‘y I don’t care whether there is fusion ■ r not. I won’t lose a night’s sleep over it. Perhans it’s just, as well there sill be no fusion, because if there was wo would have to have ei cut fifty port?,<vos. We wQuld have the member for f 'ttha (Air F. Waite) as Minister of P fince. and he wouln want to buy a l-.t more of that dud ammunition. I 'dieve you could feed the pigs with it. it’s that soft. Thon wo would have thp number for Hawke’s Bay (Air H. Al. Campbell) as Ministei of Lands, and wo would have more land bought from the Tories. All the land has been bought from the Tories, even under the United Party, for the simple reason that the members of the Purchase Board are all Tories.”