PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20178, 5 March 1931, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY UNION.

—. FIRST SESSION HELD. - , / The first jgession of the Christcliurch Parliamentary Union, which was held in/,the OJd Canterbury Provincial Council Chambers last «vening, a stormy one from, the moment wheii the acting-) Reader of the Reform Patty moved an | amendment of non,-confidence in the' 1 iUnited Government.' Immediately after | the election, and induction t of -the j Speaker,- Mr John Bigg, a former mem- | bet of the Council, the Addresjs-in-Eeply was'foriftally moved and adopted and the "United Government then tabled its Budget, Immediately ■the Leader of the Reform Party took, the' floor and moved his amendment of no-confidence, ~ , The,Labour'Party was the 'deciding' factor that bad 1;o be propitiated,- at lea3t to some extent,, by both the Gov*. , ernment and the Opposition. One of the first speakers to take the /floor, however, was an independent member who declared for'"the amendment - aid his ■ speech* put' Jieart into the succeeding , Reform 'speakers. The\ Government speakers .were, of course, strongly 4>and|,ed against the Beform Party,'whiles for j some time it was hard;tq see,'exactly v , how' LabouT was going - to . vote. /' The , Labour speakers, for thig yreason,' I ceived the .best hearing, while both the, 1 'Party were continually 1 interrupted, to such an .extent that the Speaker had once to call for "Order. By arrangement, only the first part Of the -Government's Budget proposals ! was tabled. The proposals took verylargely'the .form- of. the. recent etatei jpent issued the Prime"'Minister ,in' [ Wellington and while the. Reform l Party, i probably ..'in deference - to/Labour, did r t I not attack too heavily the per cent:' I wage cut, .the Labour .Party - jgpoke against'it. Utterly. v ' Late in the evening, PaTty. leaders ■ were seen to be conferring-in the lobby and it , was 'understood that' an -■ agreement had been Reached to allow the no- • confidence'amendment.xtobe^putH'bofore 1 the adjournment; However,!'the Leader of the Government surprised, the House vby moving for ian» adjournment-' at 10,30 p'.nj. A-division was-taken aiid to the pleasurable surprise of tbo : Reform members t}ie ' motion was lost by'- 34 votefeto 32. .That," together -with the fadt' that the later.Labour -speakers :had strongly attackedsthe Government'gave cause to hope that-their am6nd-' ment might,be carried! Following'the,.Uass' of-the motion dr. p,n debate lapsed, and the Speaker pi;t*tlie amendment to' the House. Everyone turned to watch the Labour and Independent to Befonnfa disappointment all' except one followed the Government'members. The amendment of no-confidence \ was lost by 43 votes "to 2'4.;'',' " ' The then went; into Coripnittee of "Supply to discuss the" Estimates and immediately adjourned.