SOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1920, Page 2

SOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.

WELLINGTON, July 5.

It is expected that the debate on the Address-in-Reply and the no-confidence motion may go on for the whole of the week. (There seems to be a disposition on thp part of file Government to take a decided part ip this debate and not to allow any statements, however irresponsibly made, to go unanswered. Tn past years the policy of the Government members has been to allow “such things to go and to assist the Government to eet the business through by themselves keeping silence, but they have very recently come through an election campaign, and possibly it has taught them something about the wisdom, or otherwise, of such a policy. At any rate it is reported that the/ - have no intention of keeping silence in this debate. At some time or other the Prime Minister hopes to take part in the debate, but no time can yet be fixed for his speech. THE INDEPENDENTS.

There is still doubt as to bow the fn_ dppppdents wijl vote. It seems that they will be split op. thp igsup oi the no. confidence motion for the general belief is that some of them will vote with the Government and that some of them will vote with the Opposition, for the amendment. The only ope of the Independents who lias yet declared himself is Mr Lysnar of Gisborne, but without the votes of any of the Independents, the Government is quite sure of a decisive majority over the combined forces of Liberals, Independents and Labourites.