A TASTE OF DEFEAT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 6 July 1912, Page 4

A TASTE OF DEFEAT.

Foe the greater part of yesterday the Ministerialist following strove valiantly to whip a littlo life into the want-of-confidenco debate in the House of Representatives, The Opposition sat solid and refused to be drawn into further debate, with its consequent unnecessary waste of time. They wished to come to a division, and left the Ministerialists to do the talking. The" effectiveness with which this was done can be judged from the fact that for the greater part of the sitting the Chamber was more than half empty, and oven at so early an hour as eleven o'clock, when a Minister was speaking, there were only 25 members present, and not half of these wero listening to his eloquence. And yet the Government professed to believo that this talk was uecessaij to their case, and called for reply, When, beforo midnight, the Government sought to adjourn the debate, with a view to spinning it out for a further period next week, the Opposition, sick and tired of the delay, mado a protest whicn was emphatic and effective. They simply refused to adjourn, and tho Government was defeated by 39 votes to 33. This vote practically represents the strength of parties. Either side may gain or lose a vote, but Ministers now know beyond any _shadow of doubt that they are beaten, and that is why they are shiming the issue and earning the ridicule and contempt of Parliament and the courttry. At time of writing the debate is proceeding, and it is possible that_ the Government may strive to continue its policy of skulking bohind the empty talk of its followers in pretence that it still has some hope of escaping defeat. But tho end is practically certain to come beforo the House rises to-day, and that end will mean the passing of the Mackenzie Ministry . and the entry of tho Reform party into office.