MINISTERIAL TRICKERY

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1253, 9 October 1911, Page 6

MINISTERIAL TRICKERY

HOW TO VOTE. ME, M'KENZIE AND HIS ESTIMATES. It is usually regarded as llio function of a Minister of the Crown to protect his Estimates against all assaults when they nro under review by Parliament, but tho Hon. R. M'Kenzie interpreted tho duties of the trust in a totally different fashion in the early hours of Saturday morning. When the State coal-mine account was under consideration Mr. J. Duncan (Wairau) moved the reduction of tho total vote by £1 as an indication that tho importation of foreign coal into New Zealand should cease. Mr. M'Kenzio announced that ho would support tho amendment. "Do I understand tho Minislor to say that ho will vote for tho reduction of his own Estimates?" asked Mr. Massey, The Minister replied in. tho affirmative. "It is the first time- in Ihu history of New Zealand," said Mr. Massey. On a division tho amendment was rejected by 30 votes to 14. Mr. v Masscy remarked that tho last division was too important to be passed over. "Did you vote?" ho asked tho Minister. Mr. M'Kenzio: "Oh, yes!" Mr. Massey: "In wliat way." Iho Minister: "That is my business." Mr. Massey: "Well, I am going to hava a look nt tho division list!" Ho added that so far as ho was concerned ho had voted against increasing the cost of coal M tho poor man. Other members wero apparently indifferent: to this consideration, lie found, on looking at tho division list, that tho Hon. Mr. M'Kenzio had not voted at all. (laughter.) Sir Arthur Guinness: "Ho must have been locked out by mistake." Mr. Massey continued that neither Mr. M'Kenzio nor his Ministerial n™ had tho courage to record his vote. _ Tho Minister said he always looked upon it as a sign of weakness when Mr. Massey bioko out in this way about nothing n't all _ Ho had made up his mind to havo a division and put tho Opposition in their places, and there they wore. Persnieily, hp had always opposed tho importation of opal. His vote would bo found recorded in Hansard. Tho Hon. T. Mackenzie declared that so far as courage was concerned tho Mackenzies did not lack courage as compared with the Masseys at any Urno. Mr; Fisher: "Is that a challenge—with pistols? Mr. Mackenzie: "Any way he likes to take if!" Ho concluded by stating that ho nnd his namesake had been actuated by reasons which they had not thought fit: to submit to tho approval of tho Leader of tho Opposilion, , Mr. Massey rounded off the incident with a declaration that no two members of any Ministry had ever placed themselves in such a ridiculous position as the. two Ministers who bore the namo of Mackenzie. It appeared from some expressions let fall during tho incident that tho two Ministers had paired, the Hon. T. Mackonzio against tho amendment, and the Hon. li, M'Kenzie in favour of it, although both wero in the Chamber at tho time. Later, when tho estimates of the Scenery Preservation Account wore before tho Committee, with the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie in charge, a member nsked whether tho Government had taken both sides of the Mokau River for scenic purposes. Tho Minister replied in tho afiirmntivp. Mr. Massey: Tho Government knows all about taking both sides! Members saw tho application ofv this intorjection to tho preceding incident, and laughed heartily.