THE MINISTRY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10572, 1 March 1912, Page 5

THE MINISTRY

SIR JOSEPH WARD S POSITION ADJOURNMENT OF HOUSK RESISTED. IMMEDIATE RECONSTRUCTION DEMANDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Last Night. Alter the report of the Privileges Committee, had been dealt with in the House of Representatives this afternoon, Sir Joseph Ward moved the adjournment of tho House.

Mr (Massey asked what that meant, and Whether the. Premier intended making any statement with regard to the reconstruction of the Ministry. Sir Joseph Ward replied that Mr Massey had been inspired by tho Christchurch Press, and .lie was not taking orders from it or from Mr 'Massey. He was going to-carry out his duty to the country. He was going to consider his party, and t lie "sections which had supported him. Within a week or two ho would make a recommendation to the iGovernbr, and in June they would moot the House and carry out the important proposals contamed in the Governor's Speech.

Mr Massey held that the constitutional course for the Government to follow, when only having a majority on the casting vote, was to resign. Sir Joseph himself.ihad- said he would do so, and now he ought to. Tho country and the House were, quite satisfied that Sir Joseph Ward did not hold the ..confidence'-of tho .House. . Sir Joseph stated that he meant to resign, and with his resignation went the resignation of the Ministry. Mr Massey said that at present the Government was in a. minority. . Voice*: "No; it has got a majority of six!"

' Mr Massey said it was not fair to the country, to adjourn the House' be- '. .fore the new (Ministry was selected. .; .They heard in the lobbies that five Ministers had got «to go, that the party would not stand them. He thought Sir Joseph should have a week's time to arrange for his Ministerial successors. Sir JoseplrasserTed that he knew his position perfectly. Mr Maissey was after some of the Liberal sxrpporters. He was endeavouring to get them to support some of his hypothetical views, so as to enable the party .with large land-owners to occupy the Treasury benches. Ho had never beard of Mr Massey's views being put into operation elsewthere. Mr Massey was representing a minority, and he knew it. His (Sir Joseph "Ward's) method | was the constitutional method, despite j the assertions to the contrary. Mr | Massey kne\vthat the voice of the peo- i pie were against him. He thought l that, as the country had trusted him with many -difficult'• matters in tho past, they could trust him now. He assured the House that they would do nothing. against the'interests of the people. He would present a' good Cabinet ; ,to the House. .' .. | Mr /Massey then moved as art j amendment, "That the House adjourns till 10.30 on Monday." He explained that tlie Premier should submit a new Cabinet to tho House 'before it dispersed. He thought tho Premier was afraid to submit his Ministers. The people were entitled to know the personnel of the Cabinet. Mr Massey, continuing, said he believed in Government of the people, by tlie people, mot'by the party which ' happened for the time .being to hold the Treasury Benches'. He said they should not ibe "asked to go to their l homes without knowing the names of J an untried Ministry. He emphatically denied the repeated assertion "that the [ Opposition was supported by tho large \ land-owners. There were more large | land-owners on the Government side .than on his. to show the amount; of ,'party funds at their disposal, lie stated that during the past six years, L since he had been leader of the party, " he had not drawn from the party's / funds as much as would pay for postage stamps. That was because they had'not got the money. They wore not Liberals, but true democrats. The Hon. R. McKenzie said he was surprised to see that Mr Massey "was not taking his defeat in a manly manner. The people outside had declared that they did not want Mr Massey as leader of the Government. One" only had to look at the Opposition, benches to seo where the large land-owners were. . Mr Fisher held that the House should ibo adjourned for two or throe weeks to allow Ministers to resign, and meet again with a new Ministry and policy. Sir Joseph Ward'quoted precedents of tho course which he purposed fol- < lowing. , After an exchange of interjections, Sir Joseph Ward said if the Opposition would swop party funds, he was willing. The challenge was accepted. Sir Joseph* Ward said he would like a spell in the ranks, as ho had two jobs to fix up —the "prosecution of two men for .statements made- in connection with tho five million loan. Eevertmg to the present state of affairs, he held that the masses of the people could best be served by the bursting up ot the huge areas of land in the hands ot the supporters of his friends opposite. ■Mr Harris held that -Sir Joseph "Ward's suggested course probably was constitutionally right; but it was-mor-ally wron.". -The House should adjourn for a fortnight, to allow a new Ministry to be formed. A conditional victory had been won by tho Liberal party on the pledge of Sir Joseph Ward; but they knew not whcthci 'that pledge would be kept. Haclitnot 'been for that pledge, one vote A\lnch I Sir Joseph Ward got would have gone 'to the Opposition, Parliament api poared to be run by one man. but ho was going to Have a say .n its f™*Mr James Allen said Sir Joseph s only course was to resign before the House adjourned. He had scoured the

■ voto of at least one member of the House on. a, pledge- that be would re- • sign the Premiership if ho received that vote. Sir Joseph Ward gave that statement an unqualified denial. ' iMr Russell quoted official figures showing that ten prominent Opposition members and -supporters owned between them £l,lO-1,222 worth of land. Ho mentioned the statements concerning his Itunanga property. It had been Hung broadcast that he held 66,000 acres. He sa.w the land, and then purchased it with the idea of turning it into one hundred small farms. He had a large family, and , wished to assist them on to the land. The Hon. T. said he onily wished he owned the amount of land he had lately been credited with holding. He was the trustee for a tribe of 3000 acres. Mr B radii ey said that Conservatism and Toryism were killed when they got universal franchise. He was not a large land-owner or an owner of stock His.live-stock property consisted of a Shetland pony and a ibull pup. A member: "What is its name?" Mr Bradney: "Massey." He would .like to see a closer settlement of the land and small freeholds. He hoped the Government would not maike any appointments to the Legislative Council during the recess, in the event of' Mr GVTassey's amendment 'being lost, which contingency he hoped would not materialise. Mr Anderson, said he would rather sit among large land-owners than large brewers. 'Mr .'(Buchanan- said that lie" was an owner, of : land. He had brought it to a stja.to of the highest cultivation; and ■deserved some credit for the productiv--1 ity of it. Mr Bell held that there Avas no reason why the House should not sit till the Ministry was announced. Mr Young ivas of ai similar opinion. After further discussion, the amendment of Mr Massey was negatived. A farther amendment was then moved.

The House was still sitting at 1.30 a.m.