The Dominion. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1912. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1368, 20 February 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1912. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

It is really a welcome relief to come to the day when Mr. Massey will be able to challenge in Parliament the declaration of the PniMt Minister that he still retains a working majority. The public probably have grown a little weary of the speculation concerningthn possibilities of the situation; and we should hope a little disgusted, too. They know quite well enough from the published -reports of the election speeches that there is a majority of members pledged to turn the Ward Administration out of office, and to the average citizen it must be a matter for surprise that there is any room at all for speculation as to the outcome of the division on the first no-confidence motion moved. The .only reason for doubt on the subject is the fact that efforts have been made to tempt members to dishonour their pledges; we shall see with what success within the next few days. In the meantime it will be of interest to again place on record evidence of the attitude adopted by certain of the Labour candidates in order to win the support of the electors who returned them to Parliament. On the eve of the second ballots, speaking at Wanganui. in reply to an attack made on him by the Government candidate, Mr.. Veitch said:

Tic talked the matter [Hit- question of his standing for Now Plymouth'] over with several gentlemen tliore in a perfectly friendly way. bill on fiiniinj; lio was wanted a* a supporter (if Ihe present GoTcniMHMil, he df-cidoil ii'H tii Mand. . . . Tlo was prepared to leave the matter in the linml.-- of Hie people of fl"anKonui, and all he asked was that, they will be fair to the. workers because they ?hould judge him on hi> uioril,~. The real issue was: wre they goins to vntc for .1 mpporter of th» present Government, ni , for a. Labour windi'lnto pWlfffd to turn 1 the Government out?

Mn. Veitcii has since then and within tht , past lew days aiinuniiced his intention to adhere to his pledge to throw thy Wαisi) (lnvi-niniciit out of oflice. Mi!. KniiKii'i'Sd.N. the member fov Otaki, during the election campaign on more than one occasion intimated his intention to vote against the (.iove.riinieiit on a no-confidence, motion. The llnroii'lirniiii I'lironlrlr, the local Ministerial journal, con.lncnting at Mm time on the result of Uie second ballots, said:

I't'Smrilini; Air. llnbert.son's election, it is quite fair comment l.> say that Mr. Robertson ivas elected not because of hi? Labour views, and not because of his Socialistic views. It was his advocacy of a bare majority on the licensing polls issue, and his undertaking to vote against the Wird Government on a. no-eoiilidcnee motio.i, that brought into one political bucket lire, elements of Oppcsilion fire and Prohibition water which proved to be. his well-tried opponent's undoing.

Last week Mr. Rorertsox repeated to a Dominion reporter his determination to vote against the Government on a no-confidenco motion, reserving his freedom as to subsequent action. The third Labour candidate, Mr. Payne, of Grey Lynn, pledgeu himself absolutely between the first and second ballots. He then said:

"At presant the Opposition have a majority, and I am satisfied that after the second ballot they will still have a majority. (Appbuise.) They arc far more true," to democratic principles, and will do infinitely more for the workers than the gingerbread aristocracy that h;is grown up from Liberalism." Asked to further explain these, remarks, Mr. Payne said: "I believe that the Opposition are so anxious to dean nn th? terrible finance of this country, and that they realise, what the Government realised tno late, that the workers are a power behind the ballot box." (Applause.) It is now suggested that Mr. Paynk is prepared to break that pledge, which undoubtedly secured him his election, and throw in his lot with "the 1 gingerbread aristocracy" and support a continuance of the "terrible" financial methods he so vigorously condemned. It is difficult to believe that any man could so stultify himself. And still more difficult to find a satisfactory reason for such a betrayal of election pledges. However, be that as it may, wq have r.o doubt that when the division is taken upon Mr. Massey's motion the Ward Government will he defeated and Mr. Massey sent for to form a Government. Sir Joseph Ward will then in all probability find his occupation as leader of the party gone. Already there are asnirants to the position in the field, and their friends are quietly proclaiming their virtues. The freehold interest, which is composed mainly of the country members, is said to look with rather kindly eyes on the Hon. T. Mackenzie, while the leaseholders have a choice as between Messes. Millar, G. W. Russell and G. Laurenson. When the real pinch comes, however, it will rirobably he. found that there is a sufficient number of members, who realise that a Massey Government is preferable to an ultra-R'idi-cal Ministry, to ensure that the Reform party will be sriven an opnortunity to prove itself. It will then have only itself to blame if it fails to strengthen confidence in its sincerity of purpose, and so, imperils its chance of running the full term of the, present Parliament.