SECOND CONFERENCE FAILS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 31, 31 October 1917, Page 6

SECOND CONFERENCE FAILS.

At 0.35 p.m. the report of the second conference was received. The report of the managers was that llicy had been unable to arrive at an agreement. SIE .TAMER ALLEN then moved that a -third conference with the Lenislative. Council be asked for. and that Hie marairers for the House be the Hon. A. M. Myers, Sir Tamos Carroll, Mr. 0. J. Parr, and the mover. Mr. W. T. JENNINGS (Taumarunui) rose to speak to the motion. "Is^ this farce to continue?" he osked. "Two conferences have been held in connection with this matter that is very hishlv important to many neople throughout this country. Mav T say, sir. as ono bumble member of Parliament, that _l have smmnrlod eonsenntion r< r this eountrv in every way. because I belbvetl it 'was (be best thins for nur Empire and our fla? and our •ounlyv. >vA a simple request lias been made in the TTnnse lw a minority of memlvrs Mr SPEATCEU. said that ibis p.'u.se of Ib'e question could not lie •it this period. The. question befor" (lis TTnnse was the setting up of 'i com.'PittPP of managers. , , Mr. Jennines said that b» airrccri willi the personnel of the committee. Tie ihoueht there should be. no difficulty about enmity to a conclusion on a onestinn en which no honest man could bave Mr. Nosivortliy: That's your-opimon!

A Question of Practice. n,. i\ K NEWMAN (Wellimjton Ea«O q <lre,l 'whether it was open to honourable ron'mber* lo attend the conference. Mr Sneaker snid there was a previous' nilin" of t'" , Spenker that membor* 'wore free fo nHoiul conferences. Vr Tfindmarsh: We'll nil eo. Mr Massey: As a matter of fact, it has iipver been the practice for mem-br-i"! to fto. Mr. Snonlnr: Tho matter lias never Wn'raised since I have been in the C, The I!idil TTon. W. V. MASPET snid that this was not the first ti"ie that the question had been raised. TTe could remeinl)! , ! , nn occasion ivliei! <i membpr of Parliament insisten on Iviits nrnsent ;il a coiiference. The"non feronop immcdintclv ndiourned and next, time it mot behind flo-ed doors. It mirfit eei'in a very arbitrary proceed-

ing, but ho thought it was obvious that a conference could not do its work so well if there were n number of members presont who might possibly give a garbled account of the proceedings to tUo branch of the Legislature to which they belonged. Mr. Buick: I want to know how much longer thin farce is going on? Wβ are all tired of it. SIK JOSEPH WARD supported Mr. Massey in asking members not to attend the conference. No Trouble in Cabinet. Sir Joseph eaid that ha hatt risen for tho . purpose of saying that a rumour had reached hhn to the effect Lhat on this very Important matter in Cabinet there had been differences of opinion, and friction of all kinds. Hβ wished to say on behalf of all members of Cabinet that this was absolutely untrue. There had been no friction, no rows, aud no lighting. (Laughter.) "I mean verbal fighting," lie,'said. "Members of the Ministry do not indulge—(laughter)—in the other exercises which are uppermost in tho minus of somu honourable members on this occasion. It is right thair I-should sliy there is no foundation whatever for these rumours. Wβ discussed this mattor in all its aspects. Members of the Ministry had diifcrent opinions, but no rude or offensive words were said by any minister to any other Minister. I want to lake the opportunity of saying that tho persons who start these rumours can oniy do bo with the object of making a difficult position more difficult." The motion was agreed to, and the House adjourned at 1.5 p.m. until the ringing of the bell. A Doadlook. At 3.25 p.ni. the House met again to receive the report of the third conference. The report was that the maOAgcrs had been unalilo to arrive at an agreement. The Et. Hon. W.. F. MASSEY: I do not propose to ask for another conference. Xam going to move that the House adjourn until 7.30 p.m., to give Cabinet an opportunity of considering tue position.