NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1066, 6 July 1912, Page 3

NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

GOVERNMENT DEFEATED

OPPOSITION MAJORITY,

EIGHT.

The division on Mr Massey’s no-confidence motion took place at 4.50 o’clock this morning, resulting in the defeat of the Mackenzie Government by eight votes.

When the debate was continued yesterday, Messrs T. Parata, J. Craigie, A. E. Glover, Hon. Te Rangihiroa, T. E. Y. Seddon and the Hon. T. Buxton spoke. Mr Hindmarsh moved the adjournment of the House at 11.45 P- m - The motion was seconded by Mr Isitt. On being put there was no agreement on the voices and a division was taken. The count was announced as: Ayes 32 and Noes 39. Subsequently this was amended to Ayes 33, Noes 39, Mr R. McKenzie’s vote on the Government side baying been accidentally omitted by the tellers.

THE DIVISION EIST. Ayes, 33. Noes, 39. Atmore Allen Brown Anderson Buddo Bell Buxton Bollatd, J. Carroll Bollard, R. F. Colvin Bradney Davey Buchanan Dickie Buick Ell Campbell Forbes Coates Glover Dickson Hanan Escott Hindmarsh Fisher Isitt Fraser Eaurenson Guthrie McCallum Harris MacDonald Herdman Mackenzie, T. Hine McKenzie, R. Hunter Myers ’ Eang Parata Malcolm Payne Mander Rangihiroa Massey Robertson Newman, Dr. Russell Newman, E. Seddon Nos worthy Sidey Okey Smith, R. W. Pearce Thomson, J. C. Pomare Veitch Reed Ward Rhodes, R. H. Wilford Rhodes, T. W. Witty Scott Smith, F. H. Statham Sykes Thomson, G. M. Wilson Young PAIR. Craigie Eee Mr Poland afterwards explained that he had been locked out. There was no demonstration when the result of the division was made known. Mr Massey, with uplifted hands, warned his followers to hold their peace, and the members of the defeated party busied themselves in desperate haste in putting up a member to inaugurate a stone wall. Somebody called on Mr Isitt to carry on the debate, but he was not ready, and Mr Smith jumped up to speak, calling excitedly to a colleague to ‘‘get my notes.” The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald followed Mr Smith, and at a quarter to two the Prime Minister rose to reply. In a dignified speech he admitted defeat, and concluded by saying that the prize was in the race run, not in the goal.

The Hon. R. McKenzie also spoke, making a bitter attack on his former ally. He was followed by the Hon. J. Colvin and Sir Joseph Ward who deprecated the tactics of the member for Motueka.

The last to speak before the division was Mr T. M. Wilford, whose closing remarks indicated that the Reform Party could look for ample support from other sources than those existing at that time. He resumed his seat at 4.40 a.m., and ten minutes later the division was taken. The division resulted : For the No-Confidence Motion ... 41 Against 33

All those that opposed the motion to adjourn voted with Mr Massey, as also did Messrs Millar and Clark. Mr H. Poland who was locked out in the previous division voted with the Government, and the, Hon. R. McKenzie refrained from voting. * The Prime Minister congratulated the Leader of the Opposition on his win and expressed the hope that he would worthily occupy the position that he would soon hold. Mr Massey thanked Mr Mackenzie for his kindly .remarks towards himself.

A MANIFESTO. three members join MR MASSEY. Early this morning the following manifesto was supplied to a reporter by Messrs Reed, Coates and T. W. Rhodes : “The constitution of the Ministry was such that the freehold principles held by us were seriously threatened. In the Ministry the large majority were leaseholders, and four of the

Ministry were revolutionary in , their treatment of land questions. For instance, during last Parliament they endeavoured to force on the Statute Book a clause in a measure confiscating to the State the unimproved value of Crown

leases (farms and worker’s homes) on the transfer of such leases. The result of the no-confidence motion was to decide whether a

freehold party should be in power

or a Ministry containing the Strongest leaseholders in Parlia-

ment. As freeholders we decided after very full consideration to form a coalition with the freehold party, and to carry on the affairs of the country. We decided to take this course after having the assurance that the policy of the future Government would be both liberal and progressive.

In an interview after the division, Mr Vernon Reed stated that his pledge to his electors was to stand by the freehold policy, independent of party. As soon as he heard the proposed composi-. tion of the Ministry, and before the appointments had been made he declined to join the Ministry, and told the Prime Minister-elect that he would be a free lance, following his principles only, and would not promise to support the Ministry on a no - confidence motion. He maintained that attitude throughout, until he assisted in the coalition with the other freeholders.”