GOVERNMENT STILL IN A MINORITY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3463, 1 March 1912, Page 5

GOVERNMENT STILL IN A MINORITY

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION’S HONEST OPINION. PARLIAMENT' SHOULD SEE THE NEW MINISTRY. Mr Massey referred to the change of Government upon the defeat of Sir Harry Atkinson, and an interjection was made that Mr Ballance had a majority of six. “Has this Government a majority of six?” he retorted, “My honest opinion is that the present Government is in a minority in spite of the vote, and that is proved by the fact that it was necessary to. give pledges that if the No-Con-fidence motion was negatived the Ministry would be reconstructed. That proves to my way of thinking that the Government would not otherwise have been on the Treasury. Benches now. It is a humiliating position for them, I admit, but I do not want to make capital out of that. Parliament will not be doing its duty if it allows a prorogation without seeing on the Treasury ! Benches the men who are to administer ! the affairs of this country during the next four months. There are many im- ; portant matters to be.dealt with during j that time. A High Commissioner and a Trade Commissioner have to be appointed. Directors of the Bank of New Zealand have to be appointed, and I " understand that a number of appointments to the Legislative Council are to be made. : The Prime Minister: Let us have your motion; we know all about it. The member for Bruce is hugging it there ready to move it directly you finish! Mr Massey: That is hardly-fair. The Prime Minister has got an idea that I am going to move an amendment. I

cannot, do. that until he,moves liis motion. That position should he made plain. Mr Massey continued that it had been stated that five Ministers had to resign because the party would not tolerate them any longer. . In regard to the Christchurch Press, he had not had time to look at it exoept once during the last week. Sir Joseph Ward: Perhaps you have had time to see “the editor of the Press? Mr Massey: I don’t think that is a fair suggestion to make. It is quite true I had a talk with Mr Triggs, the editor of the Press, in the lobby last night, but it .was of not more than five minutes’ duration, and there was certainly not time to arrive at any plan of campaign. Sir Joseph Ward said he was not making an.v reflection. Mr Massey: Perhaps, like myself, it would he better if the Right Hon.- gentleman did not interject so much (laughter). He added that he had only seen Mr Triggs in the lobby for a few minutes, and the article in the Press was not in any way inspired in-so-far as he was concerned. Apart from that the article referred to must have been in print before lie saw Mr Triggs. ■ It was certainly not inspired, It was a case of two great minds running in the same groove. He would tell the Prime Minister that what Mr Triggs thought today the whole of the people of New Zealand would think to-morrow (Opposition “Hear, hears” and laughter from the Government Benches). He admitted that they were all anxious to go hack to their homes, but they had not concluded the business for which they had been sent there. If the Prime Minister wanted a week in which to consult his party, or sufficient time for the purpose, he was quite willing to give it to him. Ho would support an adjournment for a week: that' would be a proper solution of the difficulty. After that the Government could come back and shew the House the men who were going to take charge of the country during the recess (loud “Hear, hears”). There were very important matters in connection with finance to he dealt with, and they could not shut- their eyes to the fact that there was a certain amount of trouble in the financial world at the present time. Surely the House was not going to adjourn without knowing who was going to manage the financial affairs of the country at the present time? When Sir Joseph Ward retired someone with no experience of finance whatever would take his place and have the handling and administration of millions of public money between now and the ordinary meeting of Parliament in June. Was’ it fair to hon. members to let them go home without telling them who was going to control their finances during the next four months? (Hon. members: “No.”) There was the policy of the new Ministry. Was it to be the policy in the Speech from the Throne ? They could not say that it would he the policy of the men who were to he upon those Benches within the next fortnight Were they to go home without having some idea o J the policy of the next administration? He did not suggest that they should he asked to bring down a Governor’s Speech, but they should at least know who. the members of the Ministry were to be—(Hear, hear). The Premier should give them a full and fair explanation. Sir Joseph Ward, said he was taking the Constitutional Course. Mr Massey wanted to get the men who voted the other night to keep him out of office to reverse their votes on a hypothetical notion suggested by the Conservative press who were behind the landowners (cries of “Oh, oh” and laughter from the Opposition Benches, mingled with “Hear", hears” from the Government followers). Sir Joseph continued that when Mr Gladstone retired in favor of Lord Rosebery and the Federal Premier retired they did not take the course advocated by Mr Massey. This suggestion to adjourn for a week was with a view to allowing a minority in the House backed by a minority in the country to dictate —