DOMINION POLITICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18229, 17 January 1931, Page 5

DOMINION POLITICS.

THE PRIME MINISTER. TO ARRIVE ON TUESDAY 4 . ARRANGEMENTS FOR RECEPTION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)^ WELLINGTON, Friday. Preparations have been completed for the reception of the Prime Minister, Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, who will arrive at Wellington from Sydney on Tuesday .morning by the Ulimaroa. An official party will go off in the Government steamer Janie Seddon to welcome Mr Forbes and party. The Prime Minister will land from the Janie Seddon at 8.30 a.m. and an official welcome will be extended by the Harbour Board, followed by a civic reception. , Mr Forbes is to go into residence at the Ministerial residence in Molesworth Street. REFORM PARTY CONFERENCE. A Reform Party conference is to be held in Wellington to-day. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Party; Mr A. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata, and Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Thames, left Auckland for Wellington last evening. AUCKLAND SEATS. LABOUR CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED AUCKLAND, Saturday. The selection of Mr J. A. Lee as the Labour candidate in Grey Lynn and of Mr F. W. Schramm as the Labour candidate in Auckland East was announced yesterday. Roskiß is now the only Auckland seat for which the party has not announced its choice. Mr Schramm unsuccessfully corntested the Hamilton seat against Mr J. A. Young (Reform) in 1928. THE WELLINGTON SEATS. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The selection of candidates for the general election to be held this year has already been well advanced by the Labour Party, and various endorsements have been made by the National, executive. Candidates who have received official endorsement up to December 24 include: — Wellington Suburbs, Mr T. Brindle; Wellington North, Mr C. H. Chapman, M.P.; Wellington South, Mr R. McKean 'M:P.; Wellington East, Mr R. Semple, M.P.; Wellington Central, Mr p Fraser, M:P.; Hutt, Mr W. Nash, M.P.; Otaki, Mr J. Thorn. MID-CANTERBURY SEAT. A CANDIDATE ANNOUNCED. ■Bv Telejrranli.— Press Association > ASHBURTON, Saturday. Mr R. W. Wightman, who at the last election contested the Mid-Can-terbury seat as an independent Laboui candidate, addressed a - meeting a. Methven last evening, announcing m. intending candidature /this year as supporter of the United Empire Parly, approving of the bulk purchase proposals. PARTY FUSION. REFORM LEADER’S ATTITUDE. The attitude of the Reform Party regarding a fusion or coalition with the United Party was outlined by the Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. -Coates. He said: “A few weeks ago I made a statement that the Reform Party, as a party, had nothing to gain by. any such development. But at the -same time I added that we should be willing to consider any proposal that might be made by -this -Government, provided only that it was based upon the acceptance of those principles and items of policy which we believe to -be right and necessary in the interests of the Dominion. “ I referred to the following seven points of policy upon which we insisted in the national interest:—i. A return to the late Reform Government’s policy of tapering off public borrowing. 2. That measures be taken to bring down the costs of production to enable our producers ('primary and secondary) to'meet the new level of world prices. 3. That a policy of derating be initiated to ease the burden of roading costs on the farmer. 4. That operating railways be removed from political control. 5. That expenditure on new railway construction cease in every case where it cannot he proved that the new line, when completed, will be economically sound. <J. That the rate of wages paid to single men on purely relief work be lower than the standard wage. 7. That although night drills may -be eliminated, the system of national defence be based on the principle of national service.