THE PARTY LEADERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18392, 28 July 1931, Page 8

THE PARTY LEADERS.

HURUNUI GESTURE. DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERAMENT. MR COATES REBUKED. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Monday. It would seem that the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition take somewhat different views of the developments in /the political arena during the last few days. Mr Forbes stated on Friday that he appreciated the courtesy paid him by the Reformers of his constituency (Hurunui) in refraining from putting up a candidate against him in the approaching election, and that he was pleased the National Executive of the United Party had determined to pay a similar compliment to Mr Coates in the Kaipara constituency. Of course, both Mr Forbes and Mr Coates would have been perfectly safe in their respective constituencies, whether or not this courtesy had been exchanged, but, as Mr Forbes put it himself, it was pleasant to have such cordial personal relations assured in the approaching part) tussle. It was unfortunate, however, that Mr Coates, no less a sportsman than Mr Forbes is, should have thought it necessary to say he never had and never would seek a compromise wuji any one in his electorate. As much would have been taken for granted.

The Right Thing

The Evening Post which still clings to the privilege of “independence takes Mr Coates mildly to task for his somewhat brusque observation. 1 The United Executive,” it says, “ not only did the right tiling, but it did it in the right way. It made no suggestion of a bargain or a compromise; but freely gave proof of the willingness to follow the admirable lead given by Reform to Canterbury. Mr Coates does not appear too well pleased with the decision and has hastened to make it clear that it is not of his seeking. The declaration was unnecessary. No one would accuse Mr Coates" of running away from a fight, or suggest that he ought to bargain. We hope that the decision not to contest the Hurunui seat had his approval, and it is pleasing to think that it was made on his suggestion; but we can be quite sure that the suggestion of a like benefit to himself was not his idea.’’ It is scarcely necessary to say again that such a “ benefit ” ■ would be of no profit to either Mr Forbes or Mr Coates, but it would be a complimeni to both.

The Personal Factor.

The Post goes on to say that it can understand Mr Coates’ anxiety lest he should be placed in a false position, but it thinks he is unnecessarily concerned. “There is,” it tells him, "no danger of any reciprocal action between the United and Reform Parties being interpreted as a personal seat-saving scheme. The personal factor, indeed operates rather the other way, leading to a determination to contest all seats at all cost. It Is this' determination which should be restrained in the national interests. It seems impossible now to avoid a three-cornered election, but there is yet some hope of reducing the number of three-cornered contests if the lead of Hurunui is followed. In the cities, for example, there are several seats held by Labour because of division in the Reform-United vote. Why should this be allowed?” Why indeed I The advocates of the alternative vole, who, by the way, are moving Parliament this session, and'more particularly the advocates of proportional representation,, have remedies for this evil; but so far they have failed to impress a callous public.

in Other Lands

Apropos of this incident, by the way, it may be worth while to mention that the statement which was-going the rounds of the newspapers last week to the effect that it was the custom in the Homo Country to allow the party leaders in the House of Commons to renew the occupation of their seats without undergoing the ordeal of an election was not correct. At the general election of 1929, for instance, all the party leaders were challenged. Mr Stanley Baldwin, then Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party, was confronted by two opponents, a Liberal and a Labourite; Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald, Leader of the Labour Party, by three, a Conservative, a Liberal and a Communist; and Mr Lloyd George, Leader of the Liberal Party, by two —a Communist and a Labourite. As a matter of fact there always appears to be aspiring politicians at Home ready to tackle a Prime Minister at election time, and if Labour leaves Mr Forbes and Mr Coates alone their exemption may bo regarded as a high compliment.