GENERAL ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1922, Page 10

GENERAL ELECTION.

CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. RIGHTS OF GOVERNMENT. AUTHORITIES UNTIL JUNE. The constitutional position arising from the results of the election was stated last week by a gentleman who has been associated with Parliament for some 30 years, and, though at the present time not actively associated, with politics, has occupied a position of the highest responsibility. On the polling returns, said this authority to the Auckland Flerald, Mr. Massey was entitled to carry on the government of the country, if he saw fit, unt’l the end of June, when Parliament was obliged to meet, as the supply voted to the Goveminent at the end of the late session, would then be exhausted The actual fiscal position is that by the Appropriation Act—the sequal to the Estimates —supply is grar.tfd to the end of the financial year March 31, but under a clause in the Public Revenues Act tne Government may, and every Government does, continue expending for the next three months at the rate per month of the previous year’s votes. After June 30 the Treasury officers would be bound not to issue further moneys without a new authority from Parliament, expressed in an Imprest Supply Act. It is the necessity for obtaining this Act, without which any Government would be powerless, and which no Government that had .not the confidence of the House could obtain, that has led to the almost invariable custom of summoning Parliament for the last week in June, in order to obtain moneys to pay accounts and salaries due on July 1. THE GOVERNMENT’S STRENGTH. Examining the polling returns, the authority pointed out that on any statement of the figures, the Reform Government had behind it a party stronger than either of the other two main sections of the House. Only by a combination against it of the Liberal and Labour parties at their full strength could the Government be placed in a minority. Moreover, it was a certainty that on the public pledges of several members of the Liberal Party they would not vote against Mr. Massey on a no-confi-dence motion unless their own party were assured of a majority apart from assistance from Labour. Mr. Isitt (Christchurch North), Mr. Atmore (Nelson), and Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki), were mentioned as gentlemen who had

been emphatic in declaring that they would not in this way be marshalled at the heela of Labour. So that even disregarding the possibility that three seats may be won for Reform by the official counts, and the inclusion of the absent voters’ papers, and the added possibility that some of- the members now clasaifled as Independent may vote with him, Mr. Massey was assured of a majority of the House on a no-confidence motion. THE PRECEDENT OF 1912. Further, is was pointed out, there wm the precedent of 1912. The facts as to this precedent are these;— In February of that year, following the general election of 1911, the Ward Ministry was challenged by Mr. Massey, then Leader of the Opposition, with a motion of no-confidence. The. result of the division was a tie, 39 on each side. The Speaker, however, gave his casting-vote in favour of the Ward Government, which thus had the advantage of proroguing »slarliament technically undefeated. Sir Joseph Ward, however, resigned the seals of office almost immediately afterwards-, and at the end of March a. government, headed by Mr. (now Sir) Thomas Mackenzie, was formed. This was the government that was disrespectfully termed by its critics the “Stop-gap Ministry.” or the “Ten Minutes- Ministry.” Without meeting Parliament* the Mackenzie Cabinet carr‘ d on the. government of the country from March 28 to the end of June, when it came to the limit of its financial tether. Then, when it faced Parliament, Mr. Massey again raised the question of confidence, and finally defeated it by a vote of 41 to thus ushering in the era of Reform Government, which, with the temporary variation of the war-time Coalition, has lasted ever since. Whether it would be good political strategy for Mr. Massey to carry on till June without testing the feeling of Parliament was, it was pointed out, a matter for himself to consider, but here was precedent for his doing so.