INCONSISTENCY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 6

INCONSISTENCY.

POINTS PROM JO*. Af/LAEEN'S SPEECH. Five points from Mr. M'Laren's speech at Post Office Square yesterday: . 1. "On'matters of administration I am not only not enamoured of the present Government, biit am opposed to it."— Kepi? to a question. 2. "I will support the Government on n no-confidence motion where the question of principle at issue is in line with tho principles of Labour."—Reply to a question. ' ."!. Tho speaker wns enlarging upon the respective sins of tho Government and the Opposition, when a voice from the crowd suggested the Labour party should "(Shuck them both out." Mr. M'Lnrcn explained that the timo for a Labour Government had uot yet ripened. "The worst party shonld go first." he wiid. "That's Ward's Government," eaid & voice. ' !' " . "The present Government in matters of policy is moro in" line with the' Labour party," ho added. "They've got no ' policy," dissented several voices. " '. . 4. "If the Opposition wero in power," paid Mr. M'Lareii, "they would nell tho GYiwn lands and the national «ndoirmfmts/" (Cries of dissent.) "Under conditions," ho added. "And the easy-join? Liberals- who are freeholders would step over to their side." "Hasn't the Croverrnnont fold Crown lands?" interjected an individual iritli an eyo to facts.

"Yes," admitted Mr. M'Laren. "That is btcauso some of them aro leaseholders and soino tiro freeholder.'." . 5." "Tli'o principle of ' the poopj, B •"' over tho country is against;-War'd," cried another. ' . "I , prefer to keep the present party in power, rather than the Opposition—that s my position," said Mr. M'Larai, : At tho "candidateV meeting at the Clyde Quay School' in tho ■ evening, , the 'no-confidence--question ' was again submitted to him. Mr. M'JLaren exp anicd tluit a no-confidence motion in Parliament might bo put in two vays-ns n general' resolution, treated by the Ciovernmeut as .a motion of no-conndence, or as ii direct motion of no-conhdenco in tho Government. In tho first instance, he would vote according as the principle of the resolution was identified with tho principles of the Labour party; in tho second,-ho would vote for the 'Government,'for the reason that its policy was niorc .in lino with tho policy ot the Labour party.