PARLIAMENTARY BOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1922, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY BOTTINGS

MOTION OF CKXSURi-

Wellington, June 29. On of the first notices of motion ‘•nin:' from Mr Wilford. leader of the Opposition, who announced his intention ol' moving an amendment to the Addrexs-in-Reply. Following Ins usual prnctici, lie did not disclose his grounds : Imt Mi Holland, who will get a prior opportunity hv moving an ■ amendment to the Imprest Bill, which must b- passed this week, enumerated his grounds of criticism. These are Hint a.s there has been no fall in the cost of living, the Government was not wariantcd in reducing public servants’ ; salaries last January, and that restitu- , lion should he made to the lower-paid | employees. The amendment also sug- , {.tested that the Government should an- ; nuance that there will he no further ] reductions of salaries; that the House dban;moves of the attitude of the Gov- . (rumen! in r:gard to its refusal to permit Hie Post and Telegraph Assm- I riaii"n to affiliate wi'h the Aliance cf Labour; and that the Government be condemned for its failure to deal of- , leetively with the problem of utiem-. '■ ployed. Tlie ni''inh(‘r for Wellington x mitral, following up the las: subject tabled a| 1 question to Idle Prime Minister sug- 1 i gestir.o legislation recognising the right t ‘ to work, and that if the State cannot | ' find occupation for the unemployed it j : should pay an allowance sufficient to , i maintain unemployed and their depend- 1 1 cuts. !j THE OPPOSITION POSITION. ft is unofficially reported that thej' Labour Party will take steps to a seer- i lain from Mr Speaker if it is entitled i to the position of official Opposition i now that it has increased its members to nine. This may he a purely | utr:’logic move, for a counting ol heads ' indicates tlint Mr Wilford. despite the' defection of Mr Stathnm. still leads a larger number of members than Mr Holland does. There has been a good deal of speculation regarding the ]x>ssible efi'c' t of the breach on other meinhers wlm joined the Opposition coalition at the suni-' Fiinc as Mr Statham ]>Ht no indication las come from them > on the subject. Mr Wilford and bis , partv will hold a meeting on Tlmrs- ! day. 1 One result of the (hanged relations Lmu-Oii Mr Slctloim on'l Hie l.ihcrals is that the member for Dunedin Cen- i tral lias abandoned (In' Iron) hrnicli ; Opposition seat in i'>vour -f bis former | back bench.