NO CONFIDENCE FAILS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 September 1932, Page 5

NO CONFIDENCE FAILS

("Post" Special Commissioner.)

SNAP PiVISION GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN A GILBERTIAN SITUATION AN UNEXPECTED MOVE

Wellington, Thursday. By four votes, the Government averted' defeat hy a snap division On the ttb-coiiMenCe ' amendment tmder sonieWhat amusing circumstances iii the House of Representat'iveS to'-night. It was the result of an unexpected move on the part of the Country Party member for the Bay of Islands, Captain H. M. Rush- J worth, and the forms of the House gave rise to an unusual situation, which placed leven the Lahour Party at a temporary loss and subsequent disadvarttage since the tail of their aniendment was eliminated. Following a spirited spaech, which dealt mainly with currency problems, Captain Rushworth moved his aniendment, tbe objeet of which was to supplant the ground on which the Leader of the OppOsition, Mr. H. E. Holland, had hased his *want of confiden.ce aniendment. Th'e presence of the insignificant wol'd "b'ecause" was responsible for the complications. Captain Rushworth's aniendment was in the following terms: "That they have not taken any step to adjust the monetary system to nieet the fall in overseas value of primary products and all invep'^wmt values in the Dominion, the^i^ .iSuSing wideSpread unemployment, eliniination of equities, dire distress, destruction and despair in this land of plenty; and that in the opinion of this House, there should he an ilnmediate full and open inquiry by a select committee of the House, into the base and construction of the present money system, and pnssible alternatives thereto with a view to the discovery and adoption of a system caleulated to nieet the legitimate requirements of industry, trade and commerce in the Dominion, and of those who are at present unemployed, and of the rising generation." The amendment was responsible for the first division of the session, and

an undercurrent of excitement swept through the Chamber and the galleries. Owing to the forms of the House, the first division was taken on the question as to whether the reason for the Labour Party's no-confidence motion was to stand. Although the Labour party was obviously anxious to take -the earliest opportunity of emharrassing the Government, it had no option but to vote against the proposal for the elimination of grounds for its own aniendment. The Government, on the other hand, was placed in the somewhat Gilb'ertian situation of having to support what really amounted to a hostile amendment against its own existence by following Captain Rushworth into the lobby. The tmexpectedness of the situation gave rise to sonie confusion, but I when the division bell ' had ceased ringing the position was clarified. The result of the first division was the elimination of the tail of the Labour ainendment by 32 votes to 21 Votes. The Labour Party voted on its own to save the terms of its amendment, and the Government to a man voted with Captain -Rushworth. ; The second division provided the crucial test. The proposal was to add Captain Rushworth's proposal to the original no-confidence amendment. The result was the rejeetion of the pro position hy 29 "Votes to 25 votes. On this occasion, Messrs Atmore, Black and Tirikatene, Captain Rushworth and Mr. C. A. Wilkinson aligned themselves with the official Opposition. The smallness 'of the votes was accoiiiited for by the faet that there was a very thin House when it was taken, many of the members attending a wrestling match that- was heing held, as well as a Reform dinner. The further* complicatiort remained. The word "hecause" was still associated with the no-confidence amendment. Mr. Spealcer suggested that a simple way out'df the diffieulty would be to strike out the word and leave the proposition bef ore the House as a simple ' no-eonfidehce motion. This was agreed to amid Government laughtef. * : ' ' " '