POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

(special to "nre tress.") WELLINGTON, Juno 30. Fusion. Tho meeting of tho Liberal Party called to further consider tho fusion question was continued to-day, and delegates from tho two parties afterwards assembled for a further discussion of the problem. It will now be necessary for the Koform Party to meet once "inoro to hear the result'of tho latest Liberal deliberations., Mr Isitt. who is in favour of fusion, refrained from voting on last night's no-confidence amendment, but the other two independents—Colonel Allen Bell and Mr Geo. Witty—voted with the Government. Tho Reform Party met in caucus tonight after the iiouso rose. Aftei sitting for two and a-hnlf hours tho Prime Minister announced that there was nothing to report. The question of fusion, he suid, was still in the hands of tho delegates. Another Amendment.

Apparently the Independents are going to tako a hand in the no-con-fidence business and save the face of the Liberals. To-day Mr Atmore, the Nelson Independent, gave notice of his intention to move an amendment ou the Address-in-Ecply motion. In tho meantime he is not saving what ho has up his sleeve, but it may bo taken for granted that it. is in the nature of a nocoulldcneo amendment. He may possibly havo something to say about fusion. Sir Francis Bell and Prime Ministership. It was predicted in your columns after Mr Mnssey's death that the Governor-General would send for the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, who would probably bo appointed Trimo Minister pro tern., and that ho would bo succeeded by tho Hon. J. G. Coates. Tho prediction came true. To-day in the Legislative Council Sir Francis added another fact to what wo already knew —tho fact that ho had been asked to continue in offico till tho General Election.

There was no constitutional obstacle to tho tenuro of tho Primo Ministership by a member of tho Legislative Council, said Sir Francis to-day, when reporting on tho recent Ministerial changes. There were, however, practical difficulties in the way of such . a tenure. Ho had been careful not to refuse office merely bocauso ho was a member of tho Legislative. Council, and not of tho House of Eepresentatives, and ho might say without any broach of confidence that so i'ar from his position being considered a barrier, ho was asked to continue his appointment as Trime Minister, at all events until the General Election. Tho reason that he gavo for refusing wus his advancing age. It was a great many years since n member of the Council had held the Prime Ministership of tho Dominion. He would be sorry if any act of his had seemed to indicato that there was any constitutional or serious practical objection to his continuing in office. The Late Mr Massey.

Speaking in the Legislative Council to-day of incidents which came- under his notice at about tho time of tho signing of tho Poaee Treaty, tho lion. W. H. Triggs said that it was easily noticed that it was not Mr Massey who was seeking to cultivate the acquaintance of the distinguished men present in Paris at tho time, but distinguished men from all parts of the world were socking out Mr Massey, desiring to make his acquaintance. It is probablo that had Mr Massey lived a few years longer ho would have accepted a title. There was a cicaiie in England somo timo ago thus to recognise his war services, but Mr Massey took the view that anything like that should como at the end of his political career, not whilo ho was still actively engaged in polities. The Hon. \V. H. Triggs claimed that an action by Mr Massey in October, 1914, albno was sufficient to earn him tho undying gratitude of tho people of this country. Mr Triggs, relating tho incident, explained that tho then Gov-ernor-General wishod to send off from Now Zealand the Main Body of our Expeditionary Force with tho cockle boats which constituted tho New Zealand Navy as their escort. There were 328 officers and 8000 men in the Expedition, and Mr Massey refused to sanction tho sailing till adequate escort was? provided. The Governor-General endeavoured to use his position as head of tho military and of tho Constitution, but Mr Massey stuck out, and ho was upheld by the British authorities. Ships of greater efficiency wore obtained, and tho voyage was completed in safety, dospite powerful German ships, including tno raider Emden.

Legislative Council. In tho Legislative Council this morning leave of absence was granted to Sir James Carroll for one month on account of illness, to the Hon. J. B. Gow for two months during his absence at Honolulu, and to the Hon. J. MacGregor for ten days on account, of illness. Tho Imprest Supply Bill was put through all its stages. At the evening sitting, motions of condolence with the relations of the late Hon. 0. Samuel and the Hon. J. Griminond, whose deaths had occurred since laat session, were passed. Public Service Annuitants. Last session a promiso was made to Publie Service annuitants that tho bonus of £l3 to widows, m addition to the annuity of £lB, and also an additional £l3 for each child, was being mado permanent. The promiso Bcems to have been overlooked, but it is understood that the sums mentioned will be paid again this year, and that the matter of making them permanent will be taken into immediate consideration. Notices of Questions. Mr Ceo. Witty to-night gave notice to ask if the Government would arrange to provide free schoolbooks to children in tho primary schools. Mr Bartram gave notice to ask if tho Government would arrange with other Empire Governments for reciprocity in regard to tho payment of old age pensions. State Advances. Replying to Mr Lye this afternoon, the lion. W. Xosworthy said there was no discrimination between applicants for loans from tho Stato Advances Office. Every applicant was treated alike, all applications being dealt with in rotation as they were made. Labour and Capital. Mr R. I'. Hudson, the member for Motueka, speaking to-night on the Addrcss-in-Eoply, referring to the Labour question, said he hoped that the day was not far distant when Capital and Labour would work more amicably together in the interests of both. They could not expect men to put capital into industries unless Labour did its share of work. He appealed to even-

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section of Labour to alter its present policy and methods. A Labour member: What about Capital? Mr Hudson: I have no more sympathy with Capital than I have, wita Labour, and if there is anything wrong with capital it should bo put right, \mit is for all who have any influence with Labour to endeavour to show it tho dangerous policy under which it was now working, and to endeavour to show that it should not indulge in a policy of "go slow." Labour cries of "Where docs that policy exist?", and "What arc yoa specifically referring to?" Mr Hudson: I refer to those workers who are not doing what they know to bo a fair day's work for a fair day's wage. I have every sympathy with tho man who wants to increase his wages. Everyone wants to better his position; if. not, he ought ~ to, but when a man tries to injure J* and kill tho very source from which hi* incomo is derived, he is carrying outjx - policy that is reckless and which will return as a boomerang. Why, for instance, should men producing coal odd to the cost of the coal? It begins with the hewer and goes on through the handling to tho ships. The baker has to pay more for it, and then tho worker has to pav more for his bread. Mr Holland: Arc the coalnuuera doing that? The Gaming Question. After what occurred during the Gaining Bill discussion last session it was generally understood that a committee of members of Parliament would l)c set up to consider all aspects of racing. Owing to the illness, and, later, to the death of Mr Massey, no notion in this direction was taken. The question may bo raised in the eourw of the present as to whether the committee will be set up at sonjo future date, but it is probabld that as this is election year, and tho committee was to be a recess committee, the whole question will be left over for the nest Parliament to deal with. Moreover, there is a growing feeling that a committee of members of Parliament is not an ideal body to consider racing questions, nud the opinion of those most concerned is that tho only report or racing that would be valued is a report made by men expert in xaelas affairs, ~" " *