A MEMORABLE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1375, 28 February 1912, Page 6

A MEMORABLE DAY.

.SPEAKERS AND SPEECHES. TiTHE DiyiSiON AT MIDNIGHT* \ :i"y; r'A-SERIES.OF SENSATIONS. ' . vTo those'xtb.;iav«,been watching the situation', at 'close quarters, yes- ' terday- 'pre'sented''a• ferieS; of - excitements 'jiTid minor' crises. -'-For some time after its rcsumption'at a quarter to three, the debate was quiet land nnseng'ational. The Opposition still 'refrained from [making interjections. Sir. Glover's: speech was characteristic and significant',' Mr. T. W. :Ehodes (Thames) reaffirmed his pledge to 3;oto witjh the Government on the no- • motion and revealed himself -m other ways as an Independent with •leanings towards the party now in power. 3t was the maiden speech of an undistinguished, but not unpleasing, speaker, '■'Mr. Veitch followed with a quiet, argu'/ioentative speech, setting' forth his viow .of the economic situation. Afternoon tea 'had proved more attractive than the two speeches, but the benches and ['galleries filled up again when Mr. Veitch' look the floor. - Ho did not reaffirm his vilection pledges, nor did he try to [ex''plain them away. I TV. The debate reached a peculiarly inter.je'stiriV' moment at the 5.30 adjournment. Mr. Robertson had just begun his speech 'and the House was listening intently to ;hear .whether, he would keep or break Jhis pledges to tho Otaki electors. .;: "The Prirno Minister has announced," 'Jio said, "that he "will resign his portfolio, and I take it that will oarry with $k tho resignation of njl the members of . '• Cabinet. That being tho case —" :;■»: "Sorry to interrupt the hon. member," .MCamo tho level tones of Mr. Speaker, "but ;;tlie usual time for the adjournment has Arrived. I will call upon him again at ~'half pasd seven." So tho House had to ( ;go to dinner without learning from Mr. Robertson whether he would vote for Sir Ward or, Mr. Massey. It was generally believed that he would have finished the interrupted sentence by declaring that he felt himself free to vote '["against the no-confidence motion. In that "case Mr. Atmoro, who had kept a strictly [.'non-committal attitude, would apparently '.'hold in his sole hands tho fato of parties— .•[should he vote with Mr. Massey, the Gov.':<_'i'nmont would bc| defeated by two, but [•"'should he support tho Government, Sir .'■Joseph Ward would win on the casting 'jote of-the Speaker. ... "However, Mr. Robertson, on resuming hii. speech, did not immediately revert to tho subject. He put it off for another 20' minutes and then declared that ho would nod vote to put Mr. Massey into power. He would break tho letter of his pledge, but-iaccording to his own theory— kcop the spirit of it. Mr. Atmoro spoke next, and no' man . in tho wholo debate had had a more eager hearing. His clear, incisive manner, his air of earnestness, his energy and freshness would have won attention at almost any time. He alternatively poured condemnation upon tho Government and expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of tho Reform party, but ho reserved his sharpest criticism for party government as a ho did not sny how ho TvouJd vbbo. Mr. Fisher followed in his happiest fighting style. In the course of his speech he challenged Sir Joseph Ward to say that-he,would!keep his promise to retire from tho Premiership, if ho was strongly pressed by his followers to remain at their head. Sir Joseph Ward did not say. ■ Nevertheless, Mr. Hanan was soon after declaring, with all the vehemence at his command, that, whatever tho result of tho division, the Ward Administration would go out of office. Ho made a great effort, but by about 11 o'clock nearly half '.'-'. tho members 'had' drifted out ' It had been anticipated that the House would adjourn when. Mr. Hanan concluded, but Mr. Budcio rose at 11.35 and . commenced to address a thin House which contained about twonty-nvo members five minutes after ho' commenced to speak, ,Tho sbite of tho House when Mr. Buddo had settled down to his customary amble, resembled its aspect during the late hours of an aU : night sitting on the Estimates. But for the-heavy buzz of talk which flowed in from the lobby tho resemblance would have been perfect, for a number oi members wero reclining on their seats in the .attitude which has como to be associated with tho voting of public money '-' in the Now Zealand Parliament. When Mr. Buddo had concluded, it became evident that bis humble function had beei; to fill in time so that the division mighl he taken at the fateful hour of midnight