SIR JOSEPH WARD AGAIN.

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

SIR JOSEPH WARD AGAIN.

SOME PRECEDENTS, . REMARKS ABOUT PARTY FUNDS. Sir JOSEPH AVAR!) said that the authorities of Parliament luul been given for carrying on everything in this country until the end of'.lime next. The whole authorities of Parliament had been given to carry oil the whole administration and the whole work of the country. Public works, the making of railways, roads, and bridges, the erection of' buildings and the extension of telegraph and telephones had been provided for until the end of September. A member: But not authority to administer. Sir Joseph Ward repeated that authorisations had been given until the end of September, but would ' imagine to hear Jfr. llassey and llr. ■ Fisher that the House had been asked to do something without precedent. He proposed to give twelve pr?ced3nts showing that Parliament had Jiot been asked to come together and review a new Administration. In not a single instance of those he was going to give had the Opposition ever suggested outside of Parliament that such a course as was now advocated should be followed. Mr. Herrics: Had the Government promised to resign? Sir Joseph Ward said that the House had expressed confidence in tho Government. sh\ Herries: On condition that you resigned. Sir Joseph Ward: I made no compact with you or anybody else. I am not entitled'.to consider the Opposition for one single moment. While I am upon this subject, let in? say what a vacillating lot of men they are— Mr. G. JI. Thomson: You aro entitled to keen your own pledges, surely. Sir Joseph Ward: Well, I keep them as a rule. I admit that. Let me call your attention to the humiliating position they (the Opposition) occupy. After going into even- chemist's shop they came across to get 'some throat mixture owing to the lend way in which they had been saying "Put Ward out," they want now to keep mo in.

Party Funds, Ho again referred to the "Tory newspapers" that were advocating the policy put forward by Mr. Massey. What were they doing it for? Mr. Ilerries: Because it is right. (Hear, hear.) Sir Joseph Ward: To preserve those interests that they have been endeavouring to preserve in the past. They have been all the time behind the men who represented the broad acres. (Mr. Isitt: Hear, hear.) These were the men who had given largo sums to the party fund. Ho had heard about that. Mr. Massey: Well, vou have heard what is not: true. (Hear, hear.) Sir Joseph Ward: Well, I'll do this: I'll swap balances with you. Mr. Massey: I sincerely hope our treasi.ier will accept that offer. (Laughter.) 1 would recommend him to do it. Sir Joseph Ward: I hopo ho will, too. and T'll undertake to transfer a very good overdraft in return. Mr. T'raser: Ymi have spent your money. ■Sir .loseph Ward: ] suppose that is the tieasurer speaking. (Luushtcr.) He added that lu- would give tho Opposition a list of all the sources they could obtnin assistance from for their party fund. Mr. Buchanan: I would recommend the Prime Minister just to l:c silent on that point. (LaiiKliler.) Sir Joseph Ward: Thank you. Then perhaps you are the Treasurer. (Laughter.) Air. Vrnser: 1 am the Treasurer if you want to know, ami Ibis is the cliallwigo I will accept. If he (Sir Joseph Ward) will state the total amount of money that has passed through his account during tho last »U months I'll do the *ajua.

Sir Joseph Ward: I accept the challenge, now:, and I'll publish it from the housetop.; if you'll do the same. Mr. Frascr: Very well. Sir Joseph Ward: Will you give the amounts distributed in the different electorate.? oiitMilo of the fund. Mr. I'rascr: I don't know. I havo nothin? to da with that. I. only know- the sums distributed out of tho party funds during the years I have acted as treasurer.

Alleged Precedents. Sir Joseph Ward went on to cite various precedents in other countries for actins is he. proposed to. Tho Opposition interjected on several cases, "What was the majority?" Sir Joseph Ward retorted that tho Oppositkr.l majority was none, lie cited 11 oases. Mr. Massey: Xot one of thorn parallel. Sir Joseph Ward snul that there was always the Kind's representative beyond hiiii who would seo that nothing unconstitutional was done. Hβ sincerely believed that the well-being of tho people could only be served by the bursting up and the settlement in small holdings of the large landed estates that were owned by a class whose aggregation of wealth was used against the Liberal party. That was beyond question. Mr. Herries: It is a great question. We all voted for tho graduated land tax. Sir Jo.-eph Ward: If you had not, T believe that at that juncture you would all have been annihilated. Mr. Allen had declared against the taxation. Mr. 'Hemes : Because it is already doing what is intended. It i? breaking up the large estates.

MR. HERRIES. MEMBERS TREATED LIKE BABIES. Mr. A. IT.-UUiIS (Waitemata) said that while the Prime Minister's attitude might bo constitutionally right, it appeared to him that it was morally wrong. The Ministerial party had gained only .1 conditional victory. The House should insist upon the presentation of the new Ministry boforo it was prorogued. It appeared to him that members were being treated as babies by an autocratic Ministry. The trouble was that the House was controlled by one man. While ho was a member he was going to have some say in the national business. (Hear, hear.) He would not sit still and allow cue man , to predominate, over tho whole show. That was what was going on t\t the present time.

The Prime complained bitterly about a referenco uuulu by Jlr. Harris to the Ministerial residence ill Tinakori Road. Ho spoko of "the abominable practice of refwrinff to a man's personal affairs," and accused Jlr. Harris of "poking his nose" into tho Ministerial homos.

Mr. Harris replied with sumo dignity that liis romiirk was not capable of a personal interpretation, and ho was surprised thai; the Prime Minister had regarded it in that way. /