"PARTY TRUCE, A SHAM."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 97, 19 September 1914, Page 8

"PARTY TRUCE, A SHAM."

OUR LEGISLATORS NETTLED. PARTY "WRANGLE IN THE HOUSE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. J Wellington, Last Night. In tlie Houso of Representatives tonight, the illom. I''. M. li. Fisher laid on the table a return showing the amounts paid to various* newspapers for (j'ovctuinent advertising during 'the past turee years. His running ccarmcnts thereon as he read out the items were such as to indicate that he wisneu to convey the impression that the administration ot the present Government was mo a impartial than that of its predecessors. I Mr. G. VV. Russell rose to protest I against what he regarded as a breach I of the paTty truce. He was proceeding to refer to inoidents in connection with I tlio Bay of Islands' electorate when he was stopped 'by the Speaker, who insisted upon his confining his remarks to matters dealt with in tile paper laid on Iho table.

Mr. Russell .regretted the decision, but said he would take another opportunity of referring to it. Mr. Wilford said the speech, of the Minister was a deliberate trap to lead the Opposition into a bitter personal wrangle. He hoped none of his side would fall into it. The Minister had been selected to do what vas evidently a c< i.genial task. The Premier roso to protest against what he regarded as a most unfair insinuation. Hon. Fisher had not been scieeted to do anything that was not honorable. The return had been asked for, anil had been laid on the table in due course. He was .vary that hon. members opposite had lost dheir temper, but so far as the truce was concerned lie was sick of it. It was a sham. There ihad been party in everything the Opposition had done for the past month, and when they yot it back they did not like it.

Hon. Buddo explained the advertising policy .of the Ward administration). He chimed that there was no isenwc in advertising in every new paper that is established. The speech of the Minister »a.i totally unwarranted. Mr. Witty declared that the Premier had been even more undignified than the Minister of Marine. He asked the Premier to name- a single in.itunco in which tlio Opposition Scad 'broken, the truee. Mr. Atmore criticised the Premier's statement that he \va 4 ; .;ick of the party truce. He further coir.mented upon the discourtesy shown to Sir Jft-eph Ward on public occasions iby the Premien

The Premier rose to <luy that hi had said he was sick of the party truce. What he said was he was sick of the sham of a party truce, Mr. Russell: That :is a disgraceful thing for you to say.

Mr. Massey, continuing, denied that Sir Joseph Ward had ever been deprived of his proper place on public occasions.

Mr. Forbes said it was ungenerous of the Premier to suy that the truce had not been observed. The Opposition was pleased and proud to sink party, but the Premier Iliad smiled approval on an attack upon the Opposition. IMr 1 . ]"?.t said the Opposition tod never called for a division upon a Bill, and had refrained from party criticism. The charge of partisan act if m made aoaiiiK't the Opposition wa3 quite uniustifiaMo.

Tho debate, was continued on party lines by Messrs Hainan, Isitt, McCailum, Buchanan, Oolvin and Myei's. Hon. Fisher, in Teply, said his utterances bad been prompted by the soeech of tho member for Avon on Friday evening, when he said that advertisements were being cut out of Opposition Taper'.').

the motion that the paper be printed was agreed to.