NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 19, 17 October 1942, Page 8

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

Lost By 47 Votes To 17 AMENDMENT CARRIED Opposition Ministers Vote With Government By 47 votes to 17 the Opposition’s motion of no-confidence in the Government was defeated in the House of Representatives early yesterday morning. The Government’s amendment to the effect that the House pledged its united and wholehearted support to the Government and the War Cabinet in the-conduct of the war effort was carried by a similar margin with the voting figures reversed. Division bells for the vote on the noconfidence motion, which was the first moved lu the House since the outbreak of warj rang at 2.15 a.m. Chief interest lay in the attitude likely to be taken by the Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination, Mr. Coates, and the Associate Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr. Hamilton, who had resigned their Ministerial offices last week in accordance with a majority decision of the National Party caucus and then rejoined the War Cabinet at the invijatiou of the Prime Minister, Air. Fraser. Both voted with the Government against the motion, and Air. Alassey, National member for Franklin, was the only other Opposition member who voted . with them. Mr. Kyle (Riccartou), who recently resigned from the National Party and is now an Independent, also voted against the motion, and the other two Independents in the House, Mr. Atmore (Nelson) and Mr. Wilkinsou (Egmont) did likewise. After the vote on the motion, a division was called for on the Government’s amendment, which was carried by 47 votes to 17. Messrs. Coates, Hamilton and Massey and the three Independents who had voted against the motion, cast their votes in favour of the amendment. The voting on the no-confidence motion was as follows: For the motion (17): Acland, Bodkin, Broadfoot, Cobbe, Doidge, Forbes, Goosman, Gordon, Grigg, Harker, Holland, Kidd, Polson, Ransom, Roy, Sullivan (Bay of Plenty), Sutherland. Against the motion (47) : Anderton, Armstrong, Atmore, Barrell, Boswell, Rev. Clyde Carr, P. Carr, Chapman, Coates, Coleman, Combs, Cotterill, Cullen, Denham, Dreaver, Fraser, Frost, Hamilton, Jones, Kyle, Lowry, McCombs, McKeen, McMillan, Mason, Massey, Meachen, Moncur, Munro, Neilson, Nordmeyer, O’Brien, Osborne, Paikea, Parry, Petrie, Richards, Roberts, Robertson, Schramm, Semple, Stewart, Sullivan (Avon), Thorn, Webb, Wilkinson, Williams. Pairs —For the motion: Endean, Dickie, Ngata. Against the motion: Martin, Barclay, Hodgens. The House rose at 2.35 a.m.

CONCLUDING STAGES

Speeches By Mr. Hamilton And Mr. Massey Very little fresh ground was broken by the speakers who continued the debate on the Opposition’s no-confidence motion into the early hours of yesterday morning. The most notable contributions during the concluding stages of the debate were those of Mt. Alassey (Opposition, Fra'nklin) and the Associate Minister of Supply, Air. Hamilton. In indicating his intention to support the Government in the division, Mr. Hamilton asked whether the amendment moved by the Prime Minister referred solely to the war effort and sought support for the Government on that ground only. The Prime Minister intervened, stating the Government did not seek a vote of confidence in regard to its domestic policy. The pledge of support sought from the House was exclusively in comiexioh with the war effort.

Air. Hamilton said he did not consider an election would be of any value, but if he could be convinced it would clear the air he would vote for one. The responsibility for adjusting the administration of the country’s affairs rested on the House. “I think we can arrange it better among ourselves than by passing the job over to the electors,” he added. “It does not bring us if we canuot get together and settle our difficulties and differences. If we cannot it is going to bring our administrative system into disrepute.”

Air. Dickie (Opposition, Pa tea) said the AVar Administration had been an expensive farce. He wondered how much of this sort of thing was going on today, and jobs were being created for certain people, in referring to the differences between Air. Langstone, High Commissioner in Canada, and the Government, ■ “I object to this colossal waste of money,” said Air. Dickie.

Appeal For National Government. An appeal to the Prime Minister to continue to strive for the establishment of a National Government for the duration of the war was made by Mr. Massey. He said he had been astounded when the National Ministers withdrew from the War Administration, which had been found the next best alternative to foriming a National Government. The strike had been badly handled, continued Mr. Massey, but so also had others in the past. The settlement of the mining dispute should not have been the concern of the War Administration. but the concern of the domestic Cabinet. “I have no confidence in the Government’s domestic poliev, but I have confidence in its war policy,” he added. The course taken by the Government in keeping the minors out of jail and getting them back to coal production was the only practical one, said Mr. Massey. Most sections of the community were responding remarkably well to the war effort, but there were some not giving of their best. That had always been the case. As it was impossible to hold an election another effort should be made to form a National Government.