THOSE PAIRS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3852, 2 October 1928, Page 4

THOSE PAIRS.

(Concluded from page 1). rangement whereby they were to be paired on the bare majority issue. This evidence proves conclusively that Mr. (Dickson’s statement in regard to Mr. Nosworthy’s pair is entirely incorrect. Further, I personally interviewed the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy oif the Sunday, the day on which he left Wellington to come to Auckland to leave for Canada, and he then informed me that he was doing his best to secure a pair on the licensing issue. Under date of 24th July, Mr. Nosworthy, in response to representations made by the New Zealand Alliance in South Canterbury area wrote in the following terms: — “I need hardly state that my views on this subject have not changed, and that in order that the value of my vote may not be lost during my coming visit to Canada, I am endeavouring to arrange for a “pair.”

That the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy did take action to arrange a pair is confirmed by the terms of a letter which he sent from Auckland to the New Zealand Alliance under date of 30th July, just prior to his departure for Canada, in which was enclosed the copy of a letter which he had sent to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister, which reads as follows : Auckland, 30th July, 1928. Dear Mr. Coates, —When the Licensing Bill comes before the House this session I should be greatly obliged if you coidd arrange for another Minister, or someone else, to pair with me should there be a vote on any of the three main issues. I should like my vote to be recorded in favour of — (1) Decision by bare majority. (2) Polls every three years as at present. (3) Elimination of the State Control issue. If arrangements can be made for this to be done, I shall regard it as a personal favour. With kind regards, Yours sincerely, (Signed) W. Nosworthy., Although it may be stated that there is no definite instruction that a pair should be arranged on the third reading of the Bill, it is hardly likely that Mr. Nosworthy would wish to vote for the main clauses of the Bill and then lose the value of that vote oh the third reading. Particularly is this evident when it is remembered that Mr. Nosworthy voted last session against reporting progress when the Prime Minister moved to do so, and also voted for the third reading of the Bill when it was in much the same position as the Bill of this session.

The Prime Minister assured our president, Mr. Charles Todd, in my hearing during the afternoon of Thursday, 20th September, that pairs for Hon. G. J. Anderson and the Hon. W|. Nosworthy had already been arranged. It was not until the bells were ringing for the vote on the third reading early on Friday morning that Mr. Coates stated that Mr. Nosworthy did not desire to be paired on the third reading of the Bill, On Thursday, 21)th September, the president of the Ashburton NoLicense Council wired to the Prime Minister requesting him to arrange a pair on the third reading for the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy. A reply by telegraph was received in the following terms: — Telegram dated 20th Sept., 1928. G. D. Vercoe, Esq., President No-License Council, Ashburton. Memo., 6 p.m. Parlt. Bldgs., Memo. 31/1 Your telegram received matter of pair for Hon. Nosworthy on third reading of Licensing Bill has already been arranged.—J. G. Coates. It will be noted from the above that this was dispatched from Parliament Buildings at 6 o’clock on Thursday, 20th, when the Bill was in Committee stage subsequent to the passing of the main clauses dealing with the triennial polls, ballot paper, and the bare majority issues. It would be interesting to know, what influenced the Prime Minister to change his mind in regard to granting a pair to Mr. Nosworthy in such a short space of time. In a statement made to the House after a bare majority was carried against his wish, Mr. Coates is reported to have said: Members will realise that, as far as the Bill I introduced is concerned, it has lost all recognition ahnost of what I think were the masterful proposals and principles contained in it. However, I am anxious that, if possible, during this Parliament, we should get a Bill through the

House that will, I hope, have the effect of satisfying the majority of members of Parliament. I am going to persevere and try to do it. His perseverance was demonstrated by the fact that he refused to arrange a pair for members absent on Parliamentary business and lie voted against the third reading of the Bill when, if he had voted for the Bill, it would have been sent to the Legislative Council with some hope of reaching the Statute Book. The responsibility for the failure to pass the Licensing Bill of 1928 must rest on the shoulders of the Prime Minister and the members of all parties who opposed the right of the people to decide the licensing referendum on the basis of a democratic vote. MR. COATES’S REPLY. OBLIGATIONS CARRIED OUT. The points contained in the Alliance statement with reference to Mr. Nosworthy’s pair were submitted to Mr. Coates, who handed to “The Post,” by way of reply, the following copy of a letter which he sent on Thursday last to Mr. G. D. Vercoe, president of the Ashburton No-License Council: —

“Dear Sir, —I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant in reference to the question of a ‘pair’ for the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy on the third reading of the Licensing Bill recently under discussion in the House of Representatives. It is quite correct that Mr. Nosworthy wrote to me before his departure from Auckland, asking' that his vote should be recorded specifically in respect of the three main issues contained in the Bill, namely, frequency of polls, two-is-sue ballot paper, and the bare majority. His letter made no reference to pairing on the third reading of the Bill, and his desire not to do so is confirmed by his explicit statement to the chief Government Whip before leaving Wellington that he did not wish a pair arranged in respect of the third reading. I have carried out any obligations entered into-by me on Mr. Nos.worthy’s behalf, and the fact that both himself and the member for Thames, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, were absent from New Zealand, and that the latter was opposed to the third reading, the position was therefore covered. My telegram of the 20th instant was sent under a misapprehension, and at the. moment wds intended to apply to the questions of the issues above referred to. —Yours faithfully (Sgd.) J. G. Coates.”.