COLLAPSE OF THE STONEWALL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12388, 8 December 1909, Page 5

COLLAPSE OF THE STONEWALL.

A GOVERNMENT CAUCUS

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, December 7

The lobbies were simmering this morning with unwonted excitement. There were rumours of something unusual being about to happen —the greatest political crisis that has happened for many years. The Government party was holding a caucus, and it was currently stated that sin ultimatum on the land question was to be delivered to the leaseholders of the party, who have lately been giving so much trouble in stonewalling the Land Bill and preventing it getting on to the floor of the House. Some gossipers said that dissolution and an early general election was almost a certainty. Others, however, shook their heads and said that a way would be found out of the difficulty. The latter surmise proved to bo correct. After a meeting in caucus- for over two hours, it was announced by the Prime Minister that it had been agreed that the leaseholders should discontinue their blockage of the Land Bill and allow it to reach the floor of the House. He also stated that it had been decided, if possible, the .session should be closed on the 22nd inst., and that there should be no autumn sitting, but that next year's session should commence a few weeks earlier than usual. Sir Joseph Ward added th::t the motion expressive of the party's hearty goodwill was carried uith acclamation. The caucus was described as the largest yet held by the party. Unofficial reports, which are necessarily meagre, indicated that the proceedings at the caucus were not entirely harmonious. Leaseholders at the outset seemed inclined to decline to accept th-j Government terms, and for ;i time it seemed as if the crisis was to be precipitated. Further discussions, however, resulted in the treaty of peace —or truee —already referred to being arranged. The effect of the caucus was very evident when the House met in tho afternoon by the collapse of th© leaseholders' stonewall on the motion that the report of the Lands Committee on the Land Bill lie on the table. There were no further speeches, and thiei motion, together with tho amendment-that the \ minutes of the Committee also be laid on the table, was agreed to. Mr Fisher moved » further amendment to the effect that the Government's land proposals are unsatisfactory, but this lapsed for want, of a second. The Land Bill has now got on to the floor of the House, but it is very doubtful whether it will set any further, as Mr_Buchanan remarked to-night, " It is an open secret that the Land Bill is not going to bo passed into law this session. It will be thrown on the floor of the House and indefinitely postponed." Trouble has been allayed for the time being, but for how long cannot be foretold. One thing is certain, and that is that very little legislation can be passed between now and the" end of the session if the House is closed down, as proposed, before Chrjstmas.