INSIDE HISTORY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3525, 12 July 1920, Page 6

INSIDE HISTORY.

REFORMING} THE RQSFORMERS

PROGRESSIVES WHO BECAME

MINTSTERS.

WELLINGTON, July 8.

The inside history of a reform party rwithifi the Reformers was disclosed to a highly-inferestebd—HofiS’e by Mr Statham to-S.a_v. His_ No-confidence amendl:».er.: turned on what was the first plank ofrhe “Reform Progressives,” who began to assert themselves. according To his statement, in 1918. ’l‘:.cre was, he said, dissatisfaction in the Reform Party, and Mr An--dersen (:_.me to him with a request for his assistance in drawing a progressive platform. The speaker ‘told him, “Yoh know my views. I would { clear gut the whole lot——]ock, stoclz. and barrel_’’ . I

Mr Lee:. You mean the Nationu

Cabinet‘! ‘Mr Statham: No. The Reform Ministers. The hon. gentleman knows. ‘because he was one of us. §Laughter). Mr Statham went on to _eXDl«'iill -that the first plank in the platform was insistence that the members of the party should have the right to’ elect their own ‘Ministers. A number bf kindred spirits came into the movement, but he was the most active spirit. However, the mesent Minister of Internal Afiairs could speak about that, as he was chairman and convene)‘. (Laughter, -and ‘Oh! Oh!") The same hon. gentleman is sitting on the Treasury benches, continued Mr Sfatham. He might be able to write ,3. book on “HoW I Began as a Knight of Labour and ‘Finished With a Port-I folitc-.’-A’ (Laughten) i

Mr Massey: There’s nothing Wrong about that_ Mr Statham: No; but he should Zhave begun as a member‘ of the Ministry and later become a Knight of Labour. Then I eome to the Minister of Education. He was a most enthusiastic member of the Progressive Party, but his zeal ‘outrun his discretion altogether, because—he will not .deny it—he and, another member went up to Napier to get General Russell to join the party, and invited him to lead it. Mr Parr: I repudiate that.

Mr Stathanlz The member for O'amarue was an astute man, who reminds me of the unjust steward who was commended by his master, not because. he had done rightiy, but because he had done wisely. (Laughter.) ‘ Mr Lee: Give us facts.

Mr Statham: He joined, t‘llep:xx'ty.l)llt did not attend all the meetings. He xeminds me of the Vicar of Bray. V Labour Members: What‘oat]l did he take? ' Mr Massey: What about yourself? Mr Statham: I am coming to I°:Tlat. We inissted on certain requirements, including the election ‘of the Ministry ‘by the party_ T ' Mr Lee: I never supported that. Mr Statham: Then you came on ‘false pretences. I hear the member for Vvaitemata. say something. He knows because he was fiiere. (Laughter, and “Oh!”) It was agreed that duot one member of the party’ should ?take a. seat“in the Ministry without" the consent of the others. Hon. C. J. Par:-:’ That is not so. Vs Mr Statham: I am astonished to hear the Minister of Educatimi say it is not corect. Mr Lee: The astonis-h_ment is reci.procate_d. ' ' Mr Stutliunx went on to sax)’ it was agreed that-_, unless the first” plank ‘was accepted by the party, he and his colleagues would become Indepndnts. Mr Le: Did you say I agreed to ‘that? ‘ Mr Parr: There was no party.» It ‘was the progressive wing of the Reform Parry_ Labour Tvienibex-st A ‘broken wing. Mr Parr: Do you suggest. that the Premier was not aware of.w‘nat we did? ‘_ ‘Mr Stat‘-.laln: Certainly he was. Mr Hanan: It was the pistol at his head.

Mr Statlxzzin: If I had,llud my way‘ we would «have declared ourselves :1‘ party and stood by our pledges..to the Reform Government till the dissolu~‘tion, and at the election came as and Independent Party. It hztdbeen said that Independents never got’ _anyWhere, but what did it matter if the alternative was to follow ‘blindly until he was rewarded. Then he would sooner stand aside, I'etaining- his sellirespect and stickingto his principles. The Hon. Nosworthy: Your remarks are not very nice about people sticking to _;'.rinciDles._ - , ‘_r,.,_

Mr~ S.tatha.m,’s retort was that he] sympatbised with his interrupter, ’who was troubled about rabbits. He went on to detail the membership of. the Progressive Party, namely, Messrs, ‘Anderson, Lee, Parr, Statham, Sykes, Downie .tSewar‘f,"'Harris, J. M. Dick--5011,. Reed_._Dr Newman Wilkinson, Young,“-and Mander. The speaker went on to suggest that he had, by

xgclaring his independence, done

something to assert the rights of private members. I will be told, he concluded, that I anf ploughing a lonely Furrow, but not for long.

‘Mr Massey announced that, followixig precedent, he would regard the amendment as one of noconfidence.

ANOTHER. PROGRESSIVE’S TESTIMONY.

‘WLSEINGTON, July 8.

Mr Statham’s amendment was seconded ‘by Mr J. M. Dickson, who suggested it was* unthinkable that three members of the Ministry who, as private Inembers, suported the principle could oppose it. "

Mr Lee: My name was mentioned, but I deny it. ’ Mr Dickson: You will have your op~ pox-tunity when a committee was ap~ pointed by the Premier prac’ricall_v fit

Mr IXlldel'Sorq',S request to draw up a pl=ogl-essive policy, which the Premier could accept, or reject. The first plank

was that the Ministry be elected by

’the party. If that had been accepted 110 Progressive Pm-ty would be form!'ea. There was an agreement that no member would accept Cabinet rank without the part:/’s consent. Mr Lee: Where was that arranged? Mr M: Dickson: In Auckland. Mr Lee:. I was not at the Auckland meeting.» , ‘

THE PREMIER’S SIDE. “One side of the position has been

put, let me give the other side,” said Mr Massey, in opening his reply. He deal with the happenings in the Party during his absence in England, for, as he explained, he was kept well pbsted. It was represented to him at a party

ineeting that he might return just before a general election, and that the Party needed a platform. The suggestion was made that a‘ committee be set up for the purpose of drafting a policy.” ‘He agreed, and Mr Anderson was appointed cliairmnn. On the voyage back to New Zealand he ('lrat'ted the greater part pf the platform on which the Pzlr.t_\' went. to the country. This was added to on his return. The Party had met. ocoasioiialiy and he believed some of them got the idea that Cabinet would be strengthend by the infusion of fresh blood. He was not. finding fault. “Their -wishes were eom« municated to him, and he was prepared to reconstruct the Cabinet, bli’t. when the proposal was made that the Cabinet be elected by 1ll.(-‘.11ll)€1‘§ of the Party as a whole. I said,” continued Mr I\lassey. “flint I eeuld not retain

my %o]f—l‘ospo<zf. and cousexxt to such :1. thing. 'i‘]lel'o xxias 110 Secrecy zxbouf the collllllit‘rl-0." Mr M:l.<se_v W011!‘ on to say they were «]1u1:1:r:':b1C 111011. 211111 did 110‘. treat him ullf:liz'ly. \\'hcll the idea. of u now P:lrty was sllg‘gest‘.ed_. one of the lending men :Is’kcd him to he Prime Minister. Of course,‘ that w:ls impossible, zufd he made if pm’fectly clear. 311' Mulldel"s 11:11:10 was 1ue11ti011e«1 as 91119 of the rebels (_I:111g'}1 for). “I use the fie:-111 for \\".lllt of :1 bott(‘l',” "ill’rel'p(ll:ll'ed the Pl-ellliol'. “There is no In'ol'o, loyal 111e111b(-1' of my Party. Wllol'l I 0111110 back‘ there wits 110 flll'tll(_‘r tl'oll}llo. (l.2111gI1tm‘). L<.ly:llf_\' was 1‘(-\!'iv<‘<‘l. rm] uxnly M 1: Stz11:11z11n I'elll:lill.<‘?‘»"'El‘tsi<'l(?. H 0 is in :1 good fold. M:ls.<oy is 1:111 in ymn‘ fold."

Mr Parr: Mr .\'tut}lam was tlzv 1'('~|)ol on that‘ m:.<‘:1si«):1, but Ihu <;nth(=.rs were not Ivro;»zlr<:d to Cu-.~'olt the ]"l'olniel'. '

lII‘ .\[:l:~‘.\‘l\_\j, t.-onfinlling, said "that when he u-nnw to :ippoin'l' his Mixnistmns‘ his I’:ll'l_\' 10M ]Tl{n"lt had .<uffi<-iont

's.m‘lli(lomle in 111 s jlldgnl<~n’L‘. tun! ]{!lß\\' he \\jouM‘ do ri_g'}rt. and 1110 lir.-it mun to 101 him In: would get his .~'u,plwrt was Mr Pztrr. l‘l\(*r_\f othol‘ 11w1x1}_w1' of the I‘:lr‘cy, with one exception, had .~.'imi]zlr--I}’ pledged (hm.-nlSel\'«-_. 1:1‘-2"-1'0 the <~I:w----finn. '

“'[‘hel'o we-rv th:'(*(= or four em-o}»~ ’(ion.~‘," sznid Mr Dmvniv .\'t<-\\':ll'l'. “um! I stood as an ]T11<1op(-1MentV. but .\':ti<'i I would sllppm:t' you zlgsuixlst Sir .TOsOpTL Ward. ’ ’ “Yes,” .~':lid Mr ';'\l:ls.<(~y, “I r.lon’l' mind 31. man being an ‘I11dcpo11(l<=x1f, lmit hé cannot do vfTe<:t‘i\'(- work, and I 1:-uh} out Hm (_>li\.'(- brumzlx oven now." Later in the (:vvll'm;;'. tho H.on.<e lneurd n:\‘pl:mzl’rions from I\/[ini.~'ters who \'.'l:ru J'r'r:’:_"':~.~":\'<'.~<. “"11 \\'::£»‘ :1 }n'(*H_\r

!::xl'llll<-ss .~nrl t.xT'<'ml:llll}l<‘«' and had its

‘genesis in a suggestion to fofin a pro; gressive platform, ""expT’:lined"-the Hon. Parr. “There was no suggestion of disloyalty to the Prime Minister,” he continued, “though Mr Stafliaxn consistently advocaied a separa-tion when the I’relniel'_, after his return, inflofluced a progressive programme of legislation superior‘ to the Progressive Committee’s eiforts. He (the speaker) was quite satisfied, -and before the end of last session the Progressive Party was as dead as Julius Caesar. ‘ My Witty: You got the’ carrots. 1

The Hon. Parr retorted that if the

Preniier would consent, he was quite w§lling to submit himself to his party \for their verdict. He appealed to Mr 'Statham 130 test the principle with a Bill, and not challenge his old chief.” Mr Thaeker: Are you frigli-fened? ‘The Hon’. Pal'l': No: but it is a dis? agreeable business for old I‘rxon'ds. RESIGNATIONS ADVISED. _ The Hon. MacDonald suggesfed that the .nmHe2' was‘ the most serious in his Parliamen’ral'_v experience. A <le3’mite felimge lizul beeii levelled :Igainsf'thl'ee niombors of the Ministry that they do-j ‘g(;;-ted tlieir pledges. If ever any three i men get info the ‘position by direct ae- i tion, those Ministers had (lone SO.J (Laughter). He could tell the House a. good deal more about the Progressive Party. Mr Massey: What about the overttlres you made in a. Speaker if you got I a majority? '

majority? ' Mr MacDonald: 'When?

Mr Vasscy: When I was in Paris.

Mr MacDonald: I challenge anyone to prove that I approached any iififibé? of‘Parlinment for his vote, or tried to bring him away from his pal;ty.

He concluded by advising ihe Premier to adjourn the House to consult his pm"r_V, and if the fh~'ec Ministel's concerned did the right thing, they

would I'esi-gn nf once.

The Hon. Leo doCTfi]‘€d he never attended any meeting o1":“rhe Progressive. party when tliopledge was made abbnt taking ofiice, 01' insisting on an Elective Execufive. As a matter of fact, he (the speaker) was opposed to that principle.

Mr Sfatlxayn remal'kc‘d “that he would accept the Minis’(ol"'S assurance if He said he did not know of the understanding regarding office and the pledge about the j3lec.t.ive Executive, though it seemed .<’rr:mge he didn’t hear about these facts.

The Hon. Lee replim].that lots of suggestions \\"m-0 made, but. he know of no such pledges.

The 11011. G. J. Amlcrson, c::-c'nair-‘1wa.n ‘pf I’l'ogl'e,x:s-ivo.<, declared the mat.t’els as -.1 family quarrel. He was very sorry /Ji-rty linen‘ was being w:lslled in public. None of the Progressives wanted voffice. They. did not p‘}e(lgo ‘.‘l)cllls‘9l‘.'og ‘to \lnyt‘.hin-‘g, o.\;cepf than n<m‘o would take offica \\'i.t}lullt‘ cmlsu]fin;: the others. ".l‘l‘-.(‘.:'c was <Jis(t()ntell“t in both im.v'ti‘c-s. and the I’l'og‘l'esives endozl\'oul'ed. to im})l'()\':3 things. but last session the Pro~ f_:l'cssivoS fol] away until only four remained, indluding the speaker, "who Event to the electors :1 free man. He

thought no p:lrt}t would be returnedWith :1 xmrking mnjol'it_y, and hoped’ to see" u. fusiun. However, the elecf()l's sefflod it’, and the I‘l'ogl-essivc ].l:ll'ty was (10u(T. He had ufged the Pl'enlim' to appoint Mr Sta‘rhanl to the C‘:lbinet. “I wrote to Mfr Stafhnm tolling ]‘.l|H the whole thing was m'r\:', and (‘\'(‘l‘_\'})()l]}' shotxld take what Hwy mum gei." (_I.:n1;:'hf01').