WELLINGTON TOPICS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15836, 5 June 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE NEW PARTY. DISCLAIMED BY ACTING-PRIME, MINISTER. (From out Special Correspondent.) Wi. -.CTON, June 3. In a guarded bu very definite statement, Sir Janies Allen, the Acting-Prime Minister, dissociated the Reform Party from the delegates of the “New Party,” Mr G. J. Parr and Mr Yernon Reed, who are said to be touring the Dominion in the interests of that organisation. “The compact entered into when the National Government was formed,” Sir James said, “is still in existence, and will be maintained in its entirety so far as the Reform Party is concerned until an announcement is made by the leader after the return of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward.” This is plain enough, and is in accord with the resolution adopted by the recent Liberal caucus, which affirmed quite as definitely that the Liberal Parly would abode by the “existing contract’ ’between the two parties. THE EXISTING CONTRACT. This being the case, it may be as well to reiterate that the party truce, which was reduced to writing fit the time it was made, provides that political differences shall remain in abeyance till the end of the war, or till it is renounced by one or both the party leaders. The end of the war has been defined for certain statutory purposes as the termination of a period of six months after the signing of the peace treaty, but for the purposes of the truce it generally has been regarded as the time at which the Germans finally accept the Allies’ terms. There may be some differences of opinion on this point, and even some quibbling, but neither leader has shown any disposition to hold the other to the agreement after the time for parting has arrived. THE PROGRESSIVES In justice to Mr Parr and Mr Reed it has to be stated they have not in the course of their present campaign represented themselves as acting on behalf of the Reform Party. They and the gentlemen associated with them have no grievance against Mr Massey, or. for the matter of that, against Sir Joseph Ward, but they are anxious to stimulate political thought and activity in order to safeguard the country against a m mber of perils by which they believe it to be threatened. The great majority of their recruits have been gained from the Reform Party, but they have not hesitated to approach influential people on the other side of politics, and they profess to be so far satisfied with the response to their efforts. POINTS OF YTEW. With the prospect of some measure of schism in the ranks of the two older parties, the break between the “Moderates” and the “Extremists” in the Labour Party becomes of additional interest and significance. In an address he delivered here last night, ostensibly on the subject of conscientious objectors, Mr H. Holland devoted most of his time to a violent attack upon Mr Yeitch. Among other crimes he charged to Mr Yeitch was the heinous one of having helped Mr Massey into office, apparently by allowing himself to be elected as Labour member for Wanganui; but his chief grudge against him was that he had assisted the National Government in its war measures and had not subscribed to the pacflc doctrines of the extremists. Probably the attack will net greatly prejudice Mr Yeitch with his constituents.