SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1377, 1 March 1912, Page 6

SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

AN UNPRECEDENTED COURSE. THE PREMIER'S RESIGNATION. Mr. JI AS SKY said lie did not think that the Prime Minister proposed to carry .out the proper and constitutional course, ■which was, in the caso o£ a Government ■which had -been iiblc to secure a majority only on the casting vote of the Sneaker, t'o hand in its rosiynaion to the Governor. (Ministerial laughter.) Members mi;,'lit laugh, but they had never before heard of a Governmi\nt carrying on with the casting voto of the Speaker except in New South Wales, where j-he Government had now secured a majority of one vote. Messrs. Forbes and Witty: What about Mr. Wilford? '■ Mr. Massey continued that over and "—'over again Governments had resigned when they had majorities of four or five or six simply because they had not a sufficient majority to get their legislative proposals through Parliament. The Prime Minister: We came here to test that noint. Mr. Mas'sey: The purpose for which we, ■ camo' here was to place a Government upon tho Treasury benches Sir Joseph Ward: That cannot get there. Mr. Massey: That was able to command the confidence of tho majority in the : House of Representatives. What has hap- . pencd is Hia't tho Prime Minister secured victory the casting voto of tho Speaker. Hon; K. M'Kenzie: Is tho Spcaker not a member? . How the "Victory" was Won. Mr. Massey: Certainly. And how was victory- secured? Was it not stated in the debate over and over again that the Prime . Alinister intended to resign. It, was stated bv Sir Josenh Ward himself. "The Prime Minister: Can that debate be referred to? Mr. Massey: Surely the two things go together. Tho Spcakor ruled tho reference out of order. ;* Mr. Massey said that it had been sorted in everv newspaper in the Dominion and upon the best possible authority. Had (hat statement not been made the Government would not have been able to secure u mujoiitv even upon the casting vote of tin* Speaker. (Ministerial dissent.) . Sir Joseph Ward: The course I decided to take I took of ray -own volition, nnd freely and without request or suggestion from any member of tho party or from anybody else- (Mr. Payne: "Hear, hear. ) 1 matin that statement freely and openly, and I gave my reasons for it before tho division teak place. ■ Mr. Massoy declared that the Ho-uso ana '\e country were auita satisfied that the

Government.(lid not command the confidence- of the House, ._..,, ... Sir -Joseph. "Ward: Wo had a majority of the votes.of.the- people.

Sir Joseph Ward's Pledges. 1 Mr. Massey asked whether the Prime Minister would deny that he had given pledges to members that no matter what happened, ho would resign and his resignation would be accompanied by those ol his colleagues. ... Sir Joseph Ward: I stated it publiclymy resignation end the resignation ot the wholo Ministry. . . , Mr. Massey: We aro.going to get into tho most extraordinary position that has ever happened in this country. I presume the Prime Minister will keep his promises. Tlien what will happen? The lion. K. M'Kcnzie: Tho Governor will not send for you. ! Mr. Massey: Ho will send for me m due,course. I am quito satished to stop on the Opposition benches until I get a majority of members who will keep their pledges and place me on the Ireasury benches in an honourable manner. Mr. Massey said that members had responsibilities to the people, and it was their duty to see that the men who were placed on "the Treasury benches were men in whom members had confidence. (Hear, hear.) How were members to know that unless the new Ministry presented ltselt before Parliament wan prorogued?

A Humiliating Position. . Mr. Massey referred to the change of Government-upon the defeat of Sir Harry Atkinson and an interjection was made that Mr. Ballanco had a majority of six. "Has this Government a majority of six? lie retorted. "My honest opinion is that the present Government is in a minority in spito of the vote and that is proved by tho fact that it was necessary to give pledges that if the no-confidence motion was negatived the Ministry would bo reconstituted. That proves to my way of thinking that the Government would not otherwise have been on tho Treasury benches now. It is ' a humiliating position for them, T admit, but I do not want tc make eapital out of that. Parliament will not be doing its duty" (Mr. llassey added) "if it allows a prorogation without seeing en the Treasury benches the men who arc to administer the affairs of this country during the next four months. There are 'many important matters to bo dealt with during that time. A High Commissioner and a Trade Comniissioiwr have to be appointed. Directors of the Bank of Nov.-. Zealand have to bo appointed, and I understand that a miin..bor of appointments to the Legislative Council arc to. be made. The Prime Minister: Let us have your motion.' Wo know all about it. The member for Bruce is hugging it there ready to move it directly you finish.

Five Ministers to Go. Mr. Massey: That is hardly fair. The Prime Minister has gqt an ;dea that I am going to move an amendment. I cannot do .that .until ho-moves his motion. ■He added that the position should bo made plain. Jfc had been stated that five Ministers had to resign because the party would not tolerate them any longer. In regard to the Ckristcluirch "Press" he had not had time to look at it except once during last week. Sir Joseph Ward: Perhaps, you have had time to see the editor of tho "Press." ; Mr. Massey: I don't think that is a fair suggestion to make. It is quite true that I had a talk with Mr. Trjggs, the editor of the "Press" in the lobby last night, but it was not of more- than fivo minutes' duration, ai\d there was certainly not time to arrive at any plan of campaign. Sir Joseph Ward said he was not makine any reflection.

Mr. Massey. Perhaps, liko myself, it would be bettor if the.right hon. gentleraan did not interject so much. (Laughter.) He added that he had only seen Mr. Triggs in the, lobby for a fenminutes, and , the article in the "Press" was not in any way. inspired, in so far as he was concerned. Apart from that, the article referred to must have been. in. print before lie saw Mr. Triggs. It was certainly not inspired.. It was a caso of two great'minds running in the .same groove. He would tell tho Prime Minister this, however, that what Mr. Triggs and ho thought to-day the whole of the people of New Zealand would think tomorrow. (Opposition hear, hears, and laughter from the Government benches.)

The Business Not Yet Done. They were all anxious to go back to their homes, but they had not yet concluded the business for which thfe.y had jbe'en sent there.' If the Primo Minister wanted a week in -which to consult his party—or sufficient time for tho purpose —ho was quite willing to give it to him. Ho would support an adjournment for a week. That would" bo a proper solution of tho difficulty. After that the Government could come back and show the House the men who were going to take charge of the .country during the recess. (Loud hear, hears.) There, were very important matters in connection with tho finance to be dealt with, and they could not shut their eyes to the fact that there was a,'certain amount of trouble in the financial world at the present time. Surely the House was not going to adjourn without knowing who was going to manage the financial affairs of tho country at the present time. When Sir Joseph Ward retired someone with no experience of finance whatever would take his place and have the handling and tho administration of millions of public money between now and the ordinary meeting of Parliament in June. Was it fair to lion, members to let them gn home without telling them who was going to control their finances during the next four months. (Hon. members: No!) Then there was the nolicy of the new Ministry. Was it to be the policy in the Speech from the Throne. They could not say that it would be the policy of the men who were to bo upon these- benches within the next fortnight. Were they to go home without having some idea of the policy of tho next Administration? He did not suggest that they should be wked to bring down a Governor's Speech, but they should at least know who tho members of tho Ministry were to be. (Hear, hears.) Tho Prime Minister should give I them a full and fair explanation.