THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 954, 22 October 1910, Page 5

THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY.

,i//:///'A MIDNIGHT-CALL;;.; ; . .When the : new/tajing proposals 'were before, the. House . of :'Representatives yesterday-morning an ; inoideiit occurred .whibh''sh6wed i: that the Government is endeavouring/'to' reduce the chances of 'further febuffs'.to'a.minimum.,; Asalready been/,reported', Mr. : T, 1, Taw lor; for/ Christphuroh//North,' moved': an; amendment with-.a view, to killing;the/prpposais.;vßy asking 'awJsK -Ward/ questions.; several' Ministerialists soon/inspired a belief: in'the leaders of th<r GQvernfli'ent'-'- party: tnat. : a' narroiv ) dhasion: .Was/imminent/ / .'Whilst : theJnnior.Whip hurried and .scurried here and thei'e'vin'.order. ;to' induce. n,bs : ent. Government ..members:,/;'; to'. return, ..thV Senior Government Whip;held the- fort by /delivering/ a■■ lengthy "address on taxation.' It was not; long before the: ranks of the; Government /fjarty -in,-ih6 Hduso' .visibly: -swelled.\/r ;: ;'Rubbing'- : r their*'eyesi vigorously 'member/after member Entered the' Chamber-^aiid./-'joined- 4 little'groups of members;of his' sTde r 'wHo%ere T eagerly ' discussing the .'position.' '-There was ..one''/Ministerialist, l ':.howeverjiiwho. /could .not be-induced:; to./take his"geat in /the This/Zwa's --tho :hon; / member.''for /Napieiy '• whoj;" attired;? jn his pyjamas, under/a great coat, had 1 hastened/back: to Parliament House/ from his :• hotej. as fast: as . a motor-car : could take ' hini.';//. As, ■ it turned /outthere was; no 'need .for, any ala'rrq' - at' all;- for thß amendment found less-than a: dozen, supporters:- It was a grandresponse.', to an :urgeht' rally' but,: alas, ; 'the.Jessoh^.vas^swn ; -'f6rg6t^n:'. r vl)nring'' the sitting: yesterday''afternoon, . whilst' several Ministerialists' : wefe , 'absent,-. the Government. sustained / still;'another rebuff this session. :i The "'margin ofdefeat -was-./only'. a", single vote, it is true,'but it was -.alls'the more annoying /to. the Prime Minister, owing'to the fact that immediately after the' division had been taken several of his absent henchmen returned. For some minutes Sir Joseph's face was a study.