NO CONFIDENCE MOTIONS

Southland Times, Issue 18859, 26 June 1920, Page 5

NO CONFIDENCE MOTIONS

SURPRISES IN PARLIAMENT. OPPOSITION LEADER’S MOVE, TRYING OUT THE POSITION. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 25. The opening day of Parliament seldom produces such a sensation as two want of confidence motions, and the motions when they were tabled to-day did create considerable surprise. Mr MacDonald’s motion is a straight want of confidence, but Mr Statham’s proposal for an executive to be elected either by the House or by the dominant party in the House must also be treated by the Government as a want of confidence motion. These motions, and especially that of Mr Mac Donald, were discussed freely in the lobbies after the rising ol the House. The general opinion seemed to be that the Leader of the Opixjsition had submitted his resolution not with any idea that he would win against the Government, but. with the definite intention of inviting certain doubtful members of the House to declare their attitude with a little more certainty than they have yet done. It would be invidious to mention names in a question of this kind, but there are quite a number of members whose attitude towards such a motion will be watched with much interest, members who have declared their complete or partial independence. The Leader of the Libral Opposition may have had some idea also of moving his resolution early in order to escape the ignominy of having to follow the heads of the Labour Party into the lobby in the event of their moving a resolution of want of confidence. for it is regarded as certain that they will move such a vote as soon as the occasion seems to fit. One of the weaknesses of Mr MacDonald’s move, if he had such an intention, is (hat his motion does not shut out other similar motions. When his resolution is dis[>osed of, as it most certainly will be within a few days, it will be open to any member of the Labour Party to move any other addition to the Address-in-Rcply. The case is quite different when the Budget comes up for discussion. It is never possible to move more than one amendment to the resolution on which the financial debate takes place. The motion on that occasion is that Mr Speaker do leave (he chair, and the amendment is that all (he words after “that” he struck out. Once that resolution is rejected all the words in the question stand, and there can be no other proposal submitted. The suggestion is that the Labour Party will wait for the financial debate for the opportunity to put in a shrewdly framed amendment. Mr Statham’s proposal caused even more surprise than Mr MacDonald’s. He is avowedly friendly to the • Government party, and he will be found in the same lobby with them in most divisions during the session. This proposal of an elective executive is an academic question which has always had an interest for new parliamentarians. but will have but little support from old members of the House. In any case the motion is sure to he treated as a party matter by the Government, and its defeat is certain. Indeed, (here is no doubt about the defeat of both of the motions. The only interest in them is as to how certain members will vote, and as to the she of the Government majority.