NO-CONFIDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1374, 27 February 1912, Page 6

NO-CONFIDENCE.

DEBATE GOES ON.

ALLEGED OFFER OF MONEY.

A FRANK ' WITHDRAWALBY ' MR. MASSEY.

Before tho no-confidence debate re-open-ed last evening it had bccome apparent to thoso in touch with the political situation that the sensational incident with which last week had closed had not had tlio effect which Government supporters had. rather jubilantly, but prematurely, reckoned upon. In other words, tlio prospect still.was that Mr. Massey would carry his no-contidcnco motion, and bo tailed upon to form a Ministry. The galleries and tho floor of tho Hotise were just as closely crowded last night as they wero at every sitting sirico the-session began, and a largo group of pcoplo were clustered on tho pathway outside all the windows. Mr. Massey rose, and craved the indulgence of tho House to mako a short . jstatement, which for greater accuracy ho Iliad committed to writing. lie. referred ■;to the rumours of bribery and attempted -bribery that had been mentioned during --tho previous sitting, and unreservedly •; : \nthdrew all imputations against Mr. iiPayne, Sir Joseph Ward, and Mr. Vigor i-CBrown. Ho added that ho did not be'Jievo that a bribe had been accepted by Wany member of tho House, or that any had offered a bribo to any otlier rnicinber, and ho was sorry he had read r.iib tho House a certain letter in connection with tho mutter. This frank and declaration appears to liavo come ''.>s a surpriso to both sides of tlio House. ..Tho Opposition and some of the Minisf;;tcrialists applauded it heartily. • 'L'ho debate then proceeded on the familiar lines;','-but was duller and flatter than V;;afc any previous-sitting. Tho Hon. Thos. !,;Mnckenzio' 'did not quite' succeed' in -.'brightening it, and Mr. George Lauren- ; ison, who followed, was even less successinl. .... .'i .\y, Mr. Smith, of Waimarino, rose after ' supper, and half-emptied the benohes. . 'It was abundantly clear that the Government was continuing its plan of keep..ang tho debate going, in tho forlorn hope • 1 ~-that some of those pledged to voto against -,'thcm would at length bo prevailed upon '.'V;to break their word. Tho Opposition pimply played a waiting game! Almost •iijthe only interrupter was Sir Joseph Ward, VAvho occasionally threw .; in a "Hear, rthcar," or an encouraging - remark. •;iUr. Smith's specch; in . particular, -. 'threatened to become at one point a sympathetic dialogue between himself and : ;(tho Prime Minister. When Mr. Smith :;'.;Sat down at 11 o'clock, tho Government "did not take the usual course of moviag ;:,',the adjournment. They probably fearjvtd the Reform- Party would successfully it, with a view to having tlio >fateful division taken before the rising ■ of the House. However, when Mr. Myers ■ had finished, tho adjournment was movvVsd by Mr.. Glover, and tke_Houso rose. «.-! t * '-