WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1923, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE PARTY TANGLE. A PRECEDENT. HI’KCI.VI, TO CU.V-ItDIAN. WEEkl.VgioX. Uof 29. It is being recalled In js:,liti«- ; ,i circles In.rc that tint <j;<‘neftil clecti 1870 prodc-ed a party tangle in swmc respects similar to the one tlial is threatening tin House ol Keproseiitntnl ‘ at tin- present. tinny Tin- t.'rev GovermiKiit had tln-n horn in office for ion- years, hnt first hy the defection of .Mr .1 oil it Kallnim- anil then o| Sir Hubert Si out, ii had In-on so weak* nod in tin; Mouse of Roprosomitives that on a motion of nim-conlidrucc. tabled hv .Sir William Kox .it was defeated l>y forty-eight votes to ihirty-fonr. Sir George Grey. in.sti ail of resigning, a-k----ed for a dissolution and this tin- Governor granted on tin- understanding that the new Parliament would lie called together at the earliest. possible moment after the return ot the writs. Tho contest in the eonstiiueneie.s was short and sharp. Parliament being pmrogtti d on August, I I th. dissolved on August 1 fit It and the writs made returnable on September 17th. The eh-etion resulted in ehange-s in no few- 1 or than thirty-live seats. Sir William Fox being among the defeated candidates, and a second million of no-enn-fkleuee, tabled by Sir .lohn flail was carried hv only two votes. CHANCING SIDES. As tho result of this division Mr f «eorgo Grey resigned, and Sir .him Hall, who had accepted the leadership of tho Opposition after th defeat of Sir William Kox at the polls, was entrusted with the formation of a. .Ministry, lie had tin difficulty in doing this with tho experienced and capable material at his disposal; hut Mr Downio Stewart, the father of the present .Minister of Internal Adairs, and Mr Tomoana. one of the Maori members, who had voted with him on the iLfi-eoidideiiee motion, taking umbrage at .something that had happened in the interval, transferred their allegiance to the Opposition and so ronvi.tred the new (lovernment's majority of two into a minority of two. Mr .James MaeatidreW. who had been a member of the (Irev (love foment. was so anxious to turn the changed position to account that he did not wait for the m w Ministers to take their seats before giving notice of another lm-oonlideitee motion. His preeipiliotts action provided the (lovermnent with an excuse for placing the motion at the bottom of the Older Paper andi keeping it there until it had an upper-; Utility to it n felt I its policy. ’’AUCKLAND PATS." .It- was at tins stage of the party, manoeuvres that four Auckland mem-1 hers, Mr Kinder Wood. Mr William Swanson. .Mr William i'lurst and Captain fCnlherk. took counsel together with a view to discovering seine menus, by which certain l.ibcru! measures entild he placed upon tin- Stratutr Kook fram-ido extension and electoral reform among titem - without conimitting the management of the affairs of the country to Mr Maeandrew and hi s associate--. They had l-e, n elected as supporters of Sir (h-orge drey and his ji-iltey and had voted with the Elbe ra I leader itt file- no-eonltdetn-e dtvi-.-.ioli. hut they were not tavoiiiably dis j posed onwards Sir George a sell -: appointed s-tn'-essci- and fle-y \iewcdj with stispicioii the gathering strength . of the South Island dement in the, Mouse. 'Ultimately Mr Sv.an-ou wa. j 1 1 •, 111 L .I to interview Sir .lohn Hall | ami the result of the inter'. i( w was an j arrangement hv Ketch the tour Attck- | land members wet.- to ihinv in lh.tr ( lot with Lin- Government in return for I an undertaking that the l.iheral nu si i Mites should he- passed, that tile exist-| int-; Kdieaii ' Art dioith! ionium tit-: tael .that Auckland -lioitld have a repr, sent at ive iu the t lover'tinieiil and that it. should have a proportionate share of public cxpotidiltm.-. THEN AX’D NOW. The condition.-, ef the compact were scrupulously observed on both sides and though Mr Swanson ami hi- associates were .stigmatised at the lime as Ihe Auckland Pats,’' public opinion, in Hubulk has since condoned their action. Piobably it saved the country from a pciio'l of unstable Dovornmeni anil l, : . ~ ,i, ,-| th- enactment of manhood suffrage and triennial Parliaments by three or lour years. How iar it can he accept, i! as a precedent lor the solution ol such pro'ilcms a- ate eoiif routing Parliament at the present time is a question upon which Hit re niav he wide dilferonees of opinion. Mr Massey has returned front tin const itueneies in a minority of four. and though the dissensions between Hn Liberal ami the Labour Parties might emihle. him to continu; ill olfiec. shioiij of till legislative virlity. it i- ; dniiliital if he would ,-msetu to cany on under such conditions. The only ohvintt-- al-eh-ctioll, hilt lie- country ami ait tinparties are anxious to avoid tin.-, it possible, and public opinion here demands that tin- politicians shall liml another way out.