“CAUCUSSED!”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9793, 17 October 1917, Page 6

“CAUCUSSED!”

THE SOOTHING ATMOSPHERE OP A CAUCUS. As a little curtain-raiser to the bringing down of tho proposed allowances for till© Second Division another caucus of supporters of the National Government was held yesterday morning. Those who attended sat in the soothing atmosphere for two hours, when the financial proposals were put before th©m. The official statement that tho “financial proposals of tiro Government wore unanimously accepted” was corroborated by the insouciance of the majority of members when the allowances were brought down in tho House in the afternoon. Those members who were not present could be easily singled out. Their protests against the inadequate allowances wore many and vehement. As tho member for Grey Lynn put it on 'behalf of the Labour members, the Government “did not cork us” on the matter. The explanation due to the faat that two supporters of tho Government opposed tho allowances was tho fact that these two members were not present at the caucus, as they did not know it was being held. Tire member for Lyttelton commented on the “utter indifference” of the majority of members to the proposals. Members have been “caucussed,” ho Said, “they had boon dragooned.” Tho party whip had been cracked, and, like good party members, they had answered, and grovelled at the feet of their masters. In order to hide tho fact that they had been “oaucussod,” they had squashed a motion that the debate on the allowances be reported in “Hansard.” Referring later to the caucus meeting, tho Prime Minister declared that after hearing tho statements by Ministers, those present passed unanimously a resolution supporting tho Govern mentAir J. Anstcy (Waitaki): “No, that is not right.” Members: “No! No!” Air Alasscy: “I was in the chair, and there was a chorus of ‘Ayes’ and not a single ‘No.’ If the lion, member said ‘No,’ then I did not hear it.” Air Anstcy repeated that he had said “No.” Air Alasscy: “One member did ash a question afterwards. But he was not the hon. member. I did not hear a single ‘No.’ ” SBNTIAIHNTAL SIR. JAMES. “And this is the Minister who said ho loved Ada Reeve,” said Dr Thacker in the House yesterday, in comparing the statements of Sir James Allen at the welcome to Miss Reeve at the Returned Soldiers’ Club and his statement in the House that tho soldiers should only receive an allowance of lOd a week. Sir James appeared rather embarrassed at the comparison and the fact that ho had declared his love for a lady, who had done so much for tho soldiers.