A POLITICAL BATTLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1819, 4 August 1913, Page 6

A POLITICAL BATTLE.

IN THE SMALL HOURS,

PAYING OFF OLD SCORES.

THE PENSIONS BILL.

V OPPOSITION IN A FIX.

Soma very old political scores were wiped off the ilate at an all-night sitting of tho Houso of Representatives, which terminated at a.m. on Saturday. Although tho affair arose in the first placo out of blocking by tho Opposition, its later developments evidently. took tho menibers of. . that party : . completely by . surprise. Until nearly two o'clock on Saturday morning tho Opposition continued their stpnowall of the Land and Income Assessment Bill (as 'reported in Saturday's Dominion"). Ha Wag .done, this, and passed tho Old Ago Pensions Reciprocity. Bill through Committee without discussion,, tho Opposition oviidently cxpocted to. go. liome without more ado. The Government, however, had a cord up its sleeve. Tho Houso had gone into Committee on the Pensions BiLl as well as. upon tho measures dealt with earlier, and the Government now indicated its intention of' going on with tho Pensions Bill in Committeo instead • of ■ adjourning. Instant protests' came from the Opposition benches, but they were brushed aside. In . fact,'as was candidly explained by the Hon. W. H. Hemes, , the action of thb Government: represented a forcible protest against tho misrepresentation to which (some of its members have been subjected for years past in regard to old ago pensions. Apart from this .feature, which was pointedly emphasised at various times during the sitting, the proceedings were . . as dull as theyusually .are on occasions of the kind. The Chairman of Committees, Mr. A- S. Malcolm; displayed wonderful" endurance. "He remained in the Chair, without «i break, from- 10 p.m. on Friday until 7.15 a.m. on Saturday. Tlie Hon. F. M. B. Fisher sat at the table in charge of his Bill from 2 a.m. , until 6.40 a.m., when lie was relieved by Air Herrics. Tlie attendance of spectators was remarkable. At 2.50 a.m. there were only two men in th'o Strangers' Gallery, but a couple of hours later the number had increased to a dozen, and'later still it in--1 creased to 23. At one. stage of the debate the member for Avon stated that the Opposition intended to appoint Sir Joseph. Ward as Leader. , When The Dominion went to.pres3 on Saturday, Mr. Russell making a speech, in the course of which ho read exteiusivo quotations from tho speech delivered by the late Mr. Seddon in mov- ' ing tho second reading of the first Old Age Pensions Bill. Accusation and Denial. The Prime Minister said that lie retaembered the speech by Mr. Seddon from I which the member for Avon had quoted, and the impression that it made upon bira. Now, members on the other side were doing their best to kill this Bill. He know "that they intended to prevent it going on. the Statuto Book. Mr. Ell: You have no right to say that. Mr. ( Massey said that members of the Opposition had dome all that they could to prevent the Pensions Bill coining up. He appealed to members on the other side of the Housb to remember 'Mr. Sedidpn—the great Leader of the party which had become insignificant—and aid the Government to placo this Bill on the Statute Book. They would thus do the right thing by the old people of. this country. "I want ■to appeal to my friends behind me," said the Prim©, Minister, "to do tho right'thing, and not' bo frightened or discouraged by the attitude of members:, on. tho Opposition benches. The member for Christchurch North (Mr. Isitt), the member far Avon, (Mr. Russell), and the member for Invercargill (Mt. Hanan) have no sympathy with the old people of this country. Tliey are trying their best to do them an injury. I nopo that my friends will stand by me Government members: W6 will! Mr. Massey: And stand by the Minister in charge of this Bill. Mr. H'Callum: Thfere is no gallery. Mr. Massey: The lion, members on tho other side took jolly good care' that be-' foi'6 they started obstructing the Pensions Bill there were very few strangers in 'the galleries. I knew very well, he added, .that, this thing had been planned weeks ago. ■ Mr. Russell (angrily): Absolutely incor- ' rect. Mr. Chairman, I demand that the ■ Premier accept my assurance that his' statement is absolutely inoorrect. Tho Chairman.said that tho hon. member would have the right later to make a personal explanation. '' ' Mr. Massey said that the Government were going to put the Pensions Bill on tho Statuto Book in spite of tho Opposi- . tion. - f ; The Opposition Tactics. i Tho Hon. A. T. . Ngata. > said that the {Prime Minister had led the country to Relieve, tlTrough the press, that the fac'tics pursued on that side of the House represented an attempt to block the Pensions Bill. There was no attempt to ,1)lock' tlie' passage of tho .Pensions Bill. The Opposition tactics were being pursued with a totally different purpose—. Ithat.of'shojvittg the Prime Minister that bf> could not -do what ho liked in that 'Chamber. The Pensions Bill was going through 'that'session, with the approval 'of that side of the House, but it was not going through then. ' Mi-. T\ H..SmithC.Taihoa? Mr. Ngata: Becauso the hon. gentleman" has attempted to force it through in the small hours of the morning after a heavy week, ;,vo have asserted our right to make '. o protest. Mr. Mn=sey: You havo no right to block ' that !Bill! ". ' Mr. Ngata admitted that it wns unfortunate'(hat they should seem to bo blockin";, the''Bill.'; He bad seen smiles pass between ,ths-Prime'Minister and the Minister. for -'Native .Affairs—always Ifisiun that thc-y' were up to some evil game. Ho; • bad' l come to know that sinister' smile' . ■ that' cafes ,iipon the face of. the hon. >»™ber.wheir something got going. The Bill. ha.-repeated,, thoiigh hold>np -then, 1 v.;ould be put' on the.'Statute Book with , the npiwoval of the Opposition. Mr. Wilford: When wo think fit!

A" Political Vendetta. .When the Hon. W. H. Herries got up to speak ho inade no secret of tho fact that ho'relished the situation, and enjoyed the plight of the Opposition. He reminded .members a.cross the House of; , a;. : , certain Friday night, fif-' teen years. ago, when Mr. Seddon brought' do.wn a Pensions Bill at a late hour, and attempted to force it through.. The then Opposition, Mr. Herrie3 went on to relate, protested against this action, and fought the matter 'out ,uii,til Saturday night. They moved.on a number of occasions to report progress, and ever since had been accused of having, voted on that .occasion against the Bill. Jt was.true, that they had voted against the Old Age Pensions Bill in 1897 and 1898, but, ndarly all'the divisions which had been sc much quoted against them— J'.ke the division taken a few minwtes previously—represented protests against late, sitting., "Now," said Mr. Herries, "we; will- have your divisions and count them against, you equally. Wo are going to. liave out pound flasV' (Laughter.) Mr. Forbes: An<l blood, tool Mr. Herries: Yes. and blood, too. Tho iron, ho declared, had entered into their souls. Mr, Isitt: Ton haven't got any soul. A Govern men t member: That's a nice thing for an ex-r>airson to fay. Mr.. Henries: Well, I believo X have a Foul. I hope I have. We have suffered for yeats aild years from the interested misrepresentation of the Opposition. I don't see why we should refrain now from putting' tho iron into tho saula of our political opponents.

No Progress Mad# • At 2.55-#.lO. Mr. Ngata again moved to report progress. . Tho Chairman said that the hon. member had evidently overlooked- the fact that no. progress had been. made. Mr G. W. Russell said that the Minister for Railways, who was a transparently- honest man, had let tho cat out of

the bag. A deliberate trap bad been laid. Mr. Harries: You walked in! Mr. Russell: We didn't walk into it. Th'o Liberal party was not going to oppose the Pension Bill. That day they had fully discussed a vorv important Bill. Jl.r. Dickson: You"said it was a little . ono. The Primo Minister: You said it was a tinpot Bill. Opposition in c Trap. Mr. Russell s'aid tjiat tho Bill was important'mainly by reason of what was not in it., Ho wont on to review tho voting upon tlio early Old Age Pension Bills. 110 namod ■tho Hon. W. 11. Herries Macliiavelli, and doctored that the lion, gentleman had led tho Literal party into u trap. Mr. A. H. Hindnrarsh contended Hint the Opposition, were not getting fair •play, and that tho Government had no right to puinish tho Opposition in order to gain a trick in party warfare. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said that members had wasted an hour and a half when they might liavo been doing valuable work. It Tiad been assumed by members on the other side that no fresh business could bo brought on after 12.30 a.m. \ There was a suggestion- of truce from the Opposition benches at this stage, but nothing came of it. The Minister declined to make any promise about tho amount of business to be put through before progress was reported. Government, members lose from their restful positions to ejaculate: "No bargaining! Put it through!" Mr. Isitt on Deceit. Mr. L. M. Isitt said that when Ministers undertook to deceive the public they should tell ono tale, and not lot tho Minister who followed tho Prime Minister directly contradict the Primo Minister as to tho reason for bringing down'tlio Bill. Tho Primo Minister had deliberately made statements which he knew were incorrect. The Prime Minister knew that the Opposition were not opposed to the Bill. / Mr. Massey: Why do you oppose it, 'then? Mr, Isitt said that ho wasi restrained within the House from expressing his sense of the Prime Minister's conduct, but he would not be res-trained outside. Mr. W. A. Veitch said that he was prapaired, if lie could" get no amendments to this Bill, to support it as it stood, but he folt that it would be improved by some important amendments. The occasion in his opinion illustrated tho evils of one-man Government. I Political Terminology. Mr. W. D. S. Macdonald, in referring to the statement raado by tho Minister for Railways; said that tho Minister and his colleagues had climbed into power on the back 3 of political traitors. The Prime Minister asked whether the term "traitors" was in order. Mr. Forbes said that the Primo Minister had been upheld by tho Speaker when ho called the member for Christchurch North a political larrikin. Mr. Massey denied this. He had accused Mr. Isitt of political larrikinism. Tho Chairman did not order Mr. Macdonald to withdraw the term "traitors," but expressed a hope that he would not repeat it. Mr. Macdonald said that he had only used a political term that had been used in this and other Parliaments to thoso who deserved it. Mr. G. W. Forbes said that Parliament was being degraded. Mr. Fisher: Say von are sorry imd let lis go on with the Bill. Mr. Forbes said it was no timo to put through important legislation. They would only make laughing-stocks of themselves—(Government members: No doubt of that!)—and what would the people of tho country say about them dealing with so important a Bill at such a time? Mr. C. Iv. Wilson: Well done thou geod and faithful!

A Maiden-Speech. , Mr. P. C. Webb, tho new' member for Grey, rose to make his maiden speech at 4.5 a.m., and was received with applause. He likMed the phjtieilifigs:! to a . comic opera show. The House had before it, he said, the most humanitarian Act on the Statute-book, and he did not think that it should have been forced upon tho House at two o'clock in the morning. .The Bill was so important that every clause should be reviewed with an eye to its possible amendment. It would be an outrage to persist 1 in attempting to forco the Bill through at that hour. (Applause.) The Hon. W. H. Herries heartily congratulated the member for Grey upon his maiden speech. Every new member, he added, was astonished at some of tho methods pursued in the House, but, after a bit, he became acclimatised. Some members of the present. Government had raited experience in a hard school. Mr. Seddon, one of the'greatest of Parliamentary tacticians, luad kept their noses to the grindstone. "But we kept our end up, and learned our lesson," said Mr. Herries. . . ,

Mr. Herries confessed that ho enjoyed the plight of the Opposition, but he denied that a trap had been deliberately laid for them by the Government. Again referring to the Friday night of fifteen years ago, he was told by Mr. Ngvata that to was giving tho whole show ..away. Some general discussion followed, in the course of which' Mr. Hemes said that be had been asked, at election time, whether he had voted. 87 times against the old ago pension. A great deal of this voting had feen against late hours. Now the honourable gentlemen opposite vrcre b?ing «erve<l up in theiri own juice. Mr. Herries cheerfully informed the member for Avon that ho had not learned the rudiments of Opposition yet. He advised him not to divo into Hansard so much, and to exercise a little more originality.

"Oil on Troubled Waters." The Prime Minister now announced that ho would try to throw oil—not kerosene—on troubled waters. He wished to calm the rulVled feelings of the gentlemen on tho other side of the House, but they And only themselves to blame. ■ Mr. jßussell: Do you rail that throwing oil <Sirfrx>ubled waters? , . • Mr. -Massey said that he was going to speak "plainly. For the last three weeks or a month thie Opposition had been plotting' aiid scheming and planning—-r _ An Oppositionist (mournfully): This is , Mr. Massey: You can call it'kerosene if you like. You li&ve been plotting And scheming to take it out of and members of the Government. One gentleman on the other side of the House had said . that he liad an .hours ■; stoush 'waiting for Massey. . Mr. Russell: Quite incorrect! Mr.-'Massey: I don't think the member for Avon ought to contradict me. Some of the stories that were floating about might ba exaggerated, but where there was smoke there was fire. He had never ssen Parliament so degraded as when, a little earlier, a Maori member refused to speak in English. "Talk about comic opera," said Mr. Massey, "I was ashamed of it." Tho Prime Minister went on to state that ho and his party had been often misrepresented, but they had r.ever been so misrepresented in anything else as in respcct of the Old Ago lensions Bill. Finally ho asked the Opposition to pass part of tho Bill now before tho Wilford counselled members on his side not to let tho short title go through until they had arrived at some arrangement. If they did their main anchor would be gone. •

Leader of the Opposition. Speaking for the Opposition, Mr. Enssell declared that its members bad no intention of supplying "stoush." What they had aimed at doing was to thoroughly criticise every Department of tho G«vernnnent's administration, hoping that by the time tho task Had been accomplished Sir Joseph Ward would have returned to take up the leadership of tlie party. That was the whole secret of the Liberal party's tactics since the beginning of tho session. He deniod tiiat the Opposition had blocked the Land and Incomo Assessment Bill, and asked tho Premier whether he thought it was fair to put the Opposition in the position of voting against the Pensions Bill if they voted to go home. Mr. Herries: Was it fair to do it to us? Mr Russell: I say that I don't think it was fair, and I never did it. ! At 4.45 a.m. morning newspapers were passed round. Mr. Seddon at the time was quoting "Hansard" to a very weary House. Mr. Forbes, speaking scon afterwards, predicted that this would bo the last attempt to force legislation, through in the email hours. Once, when the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher declared that i£ it wero accessary to sit

till midnight on Saturday, lie was "on," Mr. Isitt replied, "It's awfully silly, but I'm on." Hours of dullness followed, in which the position remained practically iuichangrd save that nil bitterness ovnporated from the Opposition speeches. When day dawned at U. 50 a.m. Jlr. Isitt, in his own words, was using every power of persuasion that ho possessed to induce the Minister to report-progress, and let members go home. A Trues Declared., A truce was at last declared at G. 55 a.m., when an olfer by tho Hon. F. 31. B. Fisher to put through six clauses and then report progress was immediately accepted by the Opposition. Some small amendments '.ver? agreed to, and, the six clauses being passed, progress was reported at 7.15 a.m.