POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 92, 27 July 1910, Page 8

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

TILE STONE QI"AlilllES JiILL By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent. Wellington, Lust Night. The afternoon was uneventful 'but for a dead set made against the Hon. Mr. Mackenzie's Stone Quarries Bill. What happened was that they who didn't like the lnertMiri! [ticked .stones out of the quarry and set up a stonewall. It was too bad, and everybody enjoyed it—except the Minister. A BOMISSIIKLL IX THE HOUSE. The old feeling of the bombshell thrown suddenly permeates the House, not in the old way when parties were nearly divided and the issues were uncertain enough to make the chances of Ministerial defeat solid. Those were the days when the personal equation dominated and a light was a fight. 'Nowadays a fight is an affair of rosewater sprinkled over details. Still, "no confidence", is "no confidence," and the thing "always brings a thrill. Besides, the forms are just as they were. The Opposition Leader asks the Leader of the Houscif he takes this as a want of confidence motion. He has given ample notice for the Right Hon. gentleman to consider the question deeply. The Right Hon. gentleman acknowledges the courtesy of the s Leader of the Opposition, but regrets i exceedingly tlnr.it he has not received the lion. gentleman's thoughtful communication. This regret, however, only extends to the lion, gentleman's disappointment at the miscarriage of that communication, and here the steel comes out of the scabbard of courtesy. Nevertheless, he will not hesitate to answer the question as to his opinion of the character of the amendment tabled. That requires . no consideration at all from a Prime ' Minister who has any self-respect by intercepting the Ministerial motion which • asks the House to consider one thing > which t'he Leader of the House has » brought forward for its consideration ' with a proposal to consider another thing 1 altogether. The Leader of the Opposi- • tion usurps the function of the leaderi ship of the House. Of course, that is a ■ want of confidence motion, and the Right ■ 'Hon. gen: Umau accepts it as such, it - is a case ef "Lay on, McDuft', and cursed be.he that first cries 'Hold! Enough!'" All this \vna admirably done by the , actors. The rest of the debate is a mat- . ter of ordinary reporting. I will only add that the Leader of the Opposition was listened to with the closest attention, ' and the activity of his friends in supplyj ing 'him with memos, of all sorts was ' very noticeable. Also that the House L was very attentive to Sir Joseph Ward, , wiho replied seriatim to all the chm-sea levelled by 'his opponent. Both men were in excellent form. That the debate will be long is the one thing on which all agree. As to the tactical position, of course, the Opposition and the Independents think the point of attack, namely, ! the inner sanctuary of the land question, ! is remarkably well chosen. Some of the ' Government following plainly think the same with a shudder. Another section I is of opinion that the choice of the point is a 'blunder, inasmuch as it gives the the opportunity of giving its opinions on the land question when the land question is not before the House, and . therefore affords the Government the op- , portunity of squaring the yards in the Land Bill, so that when thit measure t comes down the Opposition bplt wjl! miss ? its mack, ~ '««'

A MATTER THAT WORRIES. Another matter that worries 1* the Chairmanship of Committees. So long as the choice lay between Sir W. Steward and Mr. W. Davy, both of the Government side, the issue Ms plain sailing,' but the setting up of an Opposition candidate, Mr. Fraser, a vcv;' capable man, indeed, for the situation—better than either of the others—puts a new complexion on the position. This has been elucidated by >Sir William Steward, who has stated what occurred about the matter at the Government caucus, much to the wrath of the Government men, who accuse him o>f improperly divulging. He has stated that he appealed to the caucus and got some seventeen or eighteen promises. Xow, as Mr. Fraser commands some twenty-five, it is plain that if the Stewarclites cannot carry their man they may. if they like to take' revenge for their inability, take their power over and place it behind Mr. Fraser, in which case that gentleman becomes a moral. It is a situation that requires delay, and so the matter is postponed till after the financial debate. Indeed, as that has become a no-confidence debate, it takes precedence of everything. Thus it may be found that by pressing the major Issue Mr! Massey may have prejudiced the chances of ih,is friend for the chairmanship, for it is clear that much may happen in the interval on a question which above all things requires prompt settlement from one "point of view. I

"HOW TO WE WITHOUT WORKIN&" "He ia trying to convince the unintelligent section of the communities vn INPew Zealand that tihe ideal policy is: Tfow to live without working.' That is his ideal policy. When you attain that state you Avill have attained the perfect state. He wants people to believe that the day ia yet to come when, the dustman will collect gatfoage in a motorlandau and when navvies will work in goloshes. Let the ihon. gentleman talk that sort of stuff if !he likes, when he is on what I call a third-rate platform, but ihe will never convince the intelligent people of this country that that doctrine is going to succeed." It will not succeed."—Mr. Fisher on Mr. Laurenson.