THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10126, 24 October 1910, Page 6

THE PREMIER AND HIS PARTY.

A MIDNIGHT CALL,

When the new taxing proposals were before the House of Representatives on Friday morning, says the Dominion, an incident occurred which showed that' the Government is endeavouring to reduce the chances of further rebuffs to a mininram. As has already been reported, Mr T. E Taylor, M.P. for Cliristchurch North, moved an amendment with a view to killing the proposals. By asking awkward questions several Ministerialists soon inspired a belief in the leaders of the Government party that a narrow division was imminent. Whilst the Junior Whip hurried and scurried here and there in order to induce absent Government members to return, the Senior Government Whip held' the fort by delivering a lengthy address on taxation. It was not long before the ranks of the Government party in the House visibly swelled. Rubbing their eyes vigorously member after member entered the Chamber and joined little groups of members 6f his side who were eagerly discussing the position. There was one Ministerialists however, who could not be induced to take his seat in the Chamber. This was the Hon. member for Napier, who, attired in his pyjamas under a great coat, had hastened back to Parliament House from his hotel fast as a motor car could take him. As it turned out there was no need for any alarm at all, for the amendment found less that a dozen supporters. It was a grand response to au. urgent rally, but, alas, tile lesson was soon forgotten. During the sitting on Friday afternoon, whilst several Ministerialists were absent, the Government sustained still another rebuff this session. The margin of defeat was only a single vote, it is true, but it was all the more annoying to the Prime Minister, owing to the fact that immediately after the division had been taken several of his absent henchmen returned. For some minutes Sir Joseph Ward's face was a study.