"LIBERALS” AT VARIANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3988, 22 July 1915, Page 5

"LIBERALS” AT VARIANCE.

LIVELY INTERLUDES IN THE HOUSE. LEAOER REBUKES HSS FOLLOWERS. REMARKABLE PASSACE-AT-ARMS. LABOR DISAG RELATE NTS - By Telegraph—Special Correspondent, WELLINGTON, July 21. The interesting turn, taken by tho debate on the War Pensions Bill late last night lias been a general subject of general discussion in the lobbies to-day, especially in' view of the bearing that it may have on the coalition scheme. (I bis remarkable development began when- Sir Joseph "Ward commented, one of the best speeches heard from him for a long time, and one which filled all the members of his party r with surprise ‘and the more Radical section and the Labor wing with consider:, bb- amazement. Members of the Government partv looked on with a nuumi station of lively interest. That ( rite-ism took tin* nature of a, comparison of the illiheralitv of the .'secret Defence Committee with the would-be generosity of the privates member. 'lbis persistent attitude of •several. members drew protests from the Prime Minister, the AttorneyGeneral (tho lion. A. L. Herdman). Air A. Hind marsh (chairman of tins Labor xwiioiii and. last of all. from -.SSr Jusc-pb \\":ird, leader of the Opposition. AIR JOWiPH WARRM “CDTIGITJON.” .'scv." , al inembers of x}j,- (Jpjmsilion had urged that t.’.e ,-c-de oi pen-ions to disiioled .-.o'di-.-r-- revised bv tiio Se.'i et Ce'urmlt'-c was still too low, and Mr Horn:-ny (\\ airarapa) suggested teat the Bill ,-itould l>e again rei-' rrod bwk to tin- committee. The L'-:e!' i o' the Oppo otion. who i* a. member of the committee, administer-

ed a severe castigation to members who had been suggesting that the Defence Committee had failed to do its duty. Speaking with unusual warmth, cir .Joseph Ward defended the B;b a::d ihe report or the Defence Comm.item t!m members of which, he claimed, v me just as anxious as those members who had bc-«n criticising their work to do justice to the ineapa rated soldiers. He asked whether those meiiib'-rs who urged that the st-aie (■: pemc’ons should be further ii.cr. --md mui really examinedthe scrim:- iimim ia! aspect of the situ.’.tion, and he went on to declare, whilst d I-e-aim nig desire to be ofi'em-ivc. that if they had done so their ore-sent attitmh- di-l not d-> much credii to ci.eir mr.-ihgeuee. At lb" efi’i'-'usir.u of Lis spec h. ,sfr Jo-, ini A'ard was greeted with loud and hearty applause, principally from the Government len'-hey The remainder of the debate -was chiefly confined to spec-hes by mc-m----bers of tho Opposition, who made no effort to conceal the evident irritation caused by their leader's severe rebuke to several of their number. Mr Isitt (Christchurch North> protested that members of the Opposition who had spoken in favor of increased, pensions did not deserve the severe “castigation’’ that they had received whilst Air VN-bb. Labor member for Grey, surcaxricaby congratulated the Government in finding "a new supporter” of its Bill in dir Joseph 1 ad. OPPOSITION LEADER AND A! EMBER. In his re;) 1 " to Mr Hornsby's. - eggestion that* ihe whedules of thePensions Bill -i.ci-ld be- again r. f- . to time Lr.-ib r.cc Committee. r Josepli AYrird said that surely i. -• was not intended a? an insult to t e OoinigiuteM. it was the next tniug to it. A Member : A\ ny f Sir Joseph AYard : Because the committee has gore into it already twice, and to ask that it should go back again is practically asking it to A Government Member: To re-sign? Sir .Joseph AYard: Yto resign. Air Hornsey: Rubbish ! Sir Joseph Ward: "It is not nbbish.” It was very easy to say nr - bisti. Tin lion, member might be ; judge of rubbish, but he would r_< thave any mem Per of the House .-ay “rubbish" to him. no matter whatparty he belonged to. Air Hornsby- : AYitii rubbish it as rubbish. Sir Joseph Ward: Well, the lion, member ranv -ay "rubLisii.” Out it is an unfair a al ira; coper tiung to say. —Applause.) Mr Hon >ey. who. bv the way. was absent from the Opposition caucus this morning, referred to the- above incident when the House resumed this afternoon. Iu a persona! explanation. he said that in the course- ot a sneeeh last- night by the Leader o; the’ Opposition he 'had interjected “Rubbish.” and >ir Joseph Ward had seemed very irate, but the remark, he said, was not aimed at what- the right hi'ii. gentleman was saying, but to"the idea that what he (Mr Hornsby) considered proper compensation could not be given to disabled soldier* on the score ot expense. ANOTHER EXCHANGE OF COMPLIMENTS. Another diverting incident or debate, which also had its sequel ni a "pcr-mial explanation ‘ when the House resumed this alternoon. occurred during the deeate oetve-een Air J. T. Al. Hornsby. Opposition Member for Wairarapa. and Air A. H. Ilindmarsli (Chairman of the Labor party). As a member of the Secret Defence Committee. Air Hindmarsh _ had strongly dofeuded the report of that committee. When Air Hornsby rose to speak shortly after (Sir Joseph Ward had spoken, he took umbrage at something that fell from Air Hindmarsh s fury" he said, nothing. He wondered the chimneys had not fallen. ■ —(Laughtei). Air Hindmarsh interjected: A\e all know you ! )ou would do anything for ten votes! Interruptions followed irom all quarters and. when they had subsided, Air Hornsby asked that the words be withdrawn. Tne Speaker said he had not- heard the words used, but he asked. Air Hindmarsh if he had been offensive ? Air Hindmarsh replied penitently that lie had said ten votes. “Perhaps 1 should have, said five votes, sir?” He asked, naively.—(Laughter). Air Speaker asked the hem. member to withdraw and Air Hindmarsh, amidst laughter, said he readily would. “I don’t put any value on his remarks,” said Air .Hornsby, "so it doesn’t, matter.” At this stage Air Webb, in an endeavor to llv to the rescue of Mi Hornsby, rose from his seat 911 the Labor party’s benches and tried to raise a point of order against las' own leader (Air Hindmarsh). 'The latter told him that he would have an opportunity at a later stage, and, on Mr. AYebb again interjecting,. Air Hinclmarsli peremptorily told lam t-o mmu his own business. . This incident was referred to in the House to-day, when Mr Hmc.niarsh made a personal “In the heat of the debate last night,” he said, “and smarting undei what I considered improper conduct, I made a reflection on the Alembei for AVairarapa. .It has been pointed out to me that this is l«kely to be taken literally in a sense I did not intend. I wish to assure the Member for AYMravapa that I did not intend the remark in an objectionable sense, and as an objectionable construction has been placed upon it, I unreservedly withdraw it.” . . Air Hornsby said that if there was 'anything in his remarks concerning Air Hindmarsh that aroused his feelings he was sorry. .The incident then closed.-