CENSURE MOTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 November 1918, Page 3

CENSURE MOTION.

LOST BY 36 VOTES. WELLINGTON, Oct 29. In the House of Representatives tonight, on the motion for presentation of a reply to the Governor-General’s speech, Mr. 'A, H. Hindmarsh (Wellington South) condemned the National Government’s acts and policy with “bell, book, and candle.” He moved as an amendment: “That, In the opinion of the House, the Government has lamentably failed to deal with the evil of war profiteering and the problem of the cost of living, notwithstanding a distinct promise given in August, 1915, that this problem would be 'dealt with.” He therefore urged that a ; general election should take place early in the coming year. Mr. Hindraarsh said the Labour Party recognised that it is was not strong enough to say this no-confid-ence vote should be treated in the ordinary way, but they were determined not to associate themselves in any way with the National Government. They asked, therefore, for a general election. The member expressed the opinion that the Liberal leader might be Willing to go to the country, and, amid much laughter, declared his belief that all Liberals would vote for the amendment in order to secure a general election, Mr. McCombs, who seconded the amendment, also made a vigorous indictment of the National Government, whose policy, he said, was one of bungling,, incompetence, and drift, drift, drift. He emphasised that Liberal members of the Ministry were equally responsible with the Tories, and contended that conditions had become much worse under the National Administration than they were under the Reform regime before the war. The amendment was lost by 48 to 12, ayes being: Messrs Brown, Fraser, j Hindmarsh, Holland, McCombs, Payne Poole, L. G. Smith, Thacker, Veitch. Witty, and Walker,