DRASTIC CHANGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1920, Page 5

DRASTIC CHANGE.

AN ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE. bill Before parliament, , PREMIER SAYS IMPOSSIBLE. V By Telegraiih.—Press Association. 4 "" Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives tonight, Mr. C. E. Statliam (Dunedin Central) moved the second reading of the Elective Executive Bill. He quoted freely from a report brought down by a committee of the House in 1801, and from former speeches of the Premier in favor of an elective exeoutive. t He charged the Premier i with favoring the principle when his party was small, and there was little hope of his coming into power, but when his party began to grow and he took office he changed his views. He had since appointed his Government on lines he formerly condemned. Further contributions to Hansard in former debates by prominent members of the House were cited to prove their previous support of the elective principle'

VOTE FOR MINISTERS. Under his Bill he proposed there would be eleven members of the executive, who would be members of Cabinet, and one who was not a member of Cabinet. Members would vote for Ministers by secret ballot. Elected members could speak in either House, but could only vote in the House to which they belonged. The executive elected their own Prime Minister, but a vote of want of confidence in any Minister would render his place vacant. After each general election the House would elect its Ministers, and the dominant party would naturally elect the Ministers from its own side, but it might be that no party was dominant. Then the House would get what the Premier said he always wanted, a truly. National Cabinet. Mr. Statham thought the House was just as qualified to choose the Ministers as the Premier, and then men would not be called upon to vote for Measures in Which they did not believe, jUBt because they had joined a certain administration. Under this Bill Ministers Would have greater than now. Wo were following the example of Britain, but he maintained Britain became great not because of her system, but in spite of it, for many evils "flowed out of it which the conditions of the poorer people were crying for a remedy. The Bill, if passed, would come into operation immediately after the next election.

PREMIER'S CHANGED MIND. Mr. Massey charged Mr. Statham with grave inconsieteiloy. In 1012 he voted against a Bill almost Tvcfcl for word with the Bill he was supporting tonight. If the hon. gentleman had not been inconsistent he would not be sitting on the side of the House where he was to-night, and he (Mr? Massey) was sorry for him. Mr. Massey said that when he came into Parliament there was a general impression that tho party system was being abused, and he was one who thought so, and so he supported the elective principle. Since then he had seen much of the working of the House, and lie had now changed his opinion. He gave the House a sample of the Ministry he thought might be elected under the Bill, and asked what would be its policy. The whole thing, he declared, was impossible, and he quoted speeches by the late Mr. Seddon and other members to substantiate this contention.

A VARIED RECEPTION. Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) supported the Bill, because It would give the dominant party a voice in the, selection of Ministers. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Chriatchurch North) favored the measure, for the reason that it would give the House a greater share in the policy of the Government. Mr. D. Jones (Kaiapoi) opposed the Bill, because it was merely a dream of sentimentalists. . Mr. H. Atmore, though voting for the Bill, was not doing so with any degree of enthusiasm. It could do no harm, and might do a little good. Mr. H. E. Holland (Labor Leader) contended that no Cabinet elected from the House could be animated by identical interests, and therefore could not work satisfactorily. The present Parliamentary system must give way to an industrial system of representation, and as the Bill did not make any fundamental change possible he would vote against it. Mr. A. McNicol (Pahiatua) opposed an elective executive, and the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) supported it, 'At 12.45 a.m., Mr. Statham replied briefv, when a division vas taken, and the Bill was rejected by 31 votes to 18.