THE DUBIOUS MINISTRY.

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

THE DUBIOUS MINISTRY.

CLINGING TO OFFICE, SOME NEW MEMBERS' VIEWS. Mr. W. H.D. BELL (Wellington Suburbs) said the reason why Parliament was called together was that the Governor rv.ut the Government might bo convinced tnat the Government had the confidence of n majority of the House. Surely the Primo Minister could not dispute Iho fact that tho now Ministry could jiot do more than routiuo business until tho House had had an opportunity to vote upon it. By calling the House together lifter the general election, the Prime Minister had established a precedent which he must follow in tho present situation. The only reason why the Opposition desired to prolong the session was that it believed it could defeat the Government. Mr. Bell appealed to the occupants of the cross-benches, particularly the Labour members who favoured an elective executive, to support the democratic attitude taken up by the Opposition. The attitude of the Government implied a doubt as to whether the now Ministry would command tho confidence of the House. If any such doubt existed that supplied tho best possible reason why the new Ministry should meet the House at the earliest possible moment, Mr. J. A. YOUNG (Waikato) said that it was evident that tho Government party was concerned only with its desire to hang on to office. He heartily commended any effort which brought idle land into productivity. ■

The Object of the Session. Mr. LANG (Manukau) said that he had come down to Parliament believing that the object in view was to take a vote and see which, party was strongest in the House. Tho Ministerial party, instead oi being content to proceed t<) a vote, had delayed business, by hurling all sorts of accusations at members of tho Reform pni£v. Hβ was one of those who had vcfrafiied from making the reply thai; could easily have been made to these charges, but felt. that, he must now cuter his protest against the attitude taken up by the Government. The Government were endeavouring in a most improper manner to cling to the Treasury benches. If the Prime Minister ,had not promised to resign the attitudo'of the Government would have been correct enough, but in view of that promise it was indefensible.

Consequences of Pledge-Breaking, Mr. J. H. KSCOTT (Pahiatua) also supported the amendment proposed by Mr. Massey. Ho declared that the breaking of pledges by Labour members had enst such a slur upon the Labour movement as would take at least a generation to live down. The tactics of the Government would compel their political opponents soon to retaliate and it ivould be a bad day for tho brewer and wealthy monopolists of this Dominion when Hie Keform party took that line. The Prime Minister had said. that if another election took place the Reform party would be swept out of existence. If that were so, why did ho fear to submit the new Ministry and its policy to the House. The Keform party did not fear another election , . (Opposition hear, bears.)

"Dead as a Coffin Nail." Mr. E. P. Lee (Oninaru) said that the question before the House was not one of party polities, but one of right, or wrong, The' principle for which tho Opposition were contending was that the party in nower should have a-majority supporting it. The Ministry lind announced that it would resign with the object of securing, the votes of certain members. The votes bad been obtained in this wny, and as ii result, tho Prime Minister could not a-MU'ii the Governor that the new Ministry hud tho confidence of tho House. This Ministry was dead—as dead as a coffin nail—and how could it. bo known that the new Ministry had the confidence of tho House until tho matter had boon discussed and determined by the. House. The only inference to be drawn from tho attitude" of members who would vote aciiiiist the amendment was that Ihe now Ministry might not possess tho confidence of the 'House. If it had, what objection could there be to its facing the House? If it bad not, it had uo right to'carry on the affairs of the country for five minutes, let ulono three months.