LIBERALS PROTEST.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 156, 7 August 1914, Page 11

LIBERALS PROTEST.

OBJFXT TO PARTY WARFARE. ALL LEAVE THE HOUSE. AN EMBARRASSING POSITION. (From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] " WELLINGTON, August 6. A remarkable scene occurred in the House of Representatives this evening, The Opposition, under Sir Joseph Ward, protested against the Government bringing down the Financial Statement which j almost invariably contains contentious policy topics, which give rise to bitter j party discussions in the House. Their j argument was that there should be no j cry of party in the midst of the crisis ! through which the Empire is passing. The culminating point was reached about 7.45 p.m., when the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Finance, rose to deliver the statement. Then the Opposition left the Chamber quietly, not a single member other than the Government followers remaining in the House. AN EARLY PROTEST. The first protest came from the Opposition early in the afternoon when the Leader of the Opposition (Sir/ Joseph Ward) asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intended to bring down the Financial Statement that day. Mr Massey: Yes, at 7.30. Sir Joseph Ward said that he heard that statement with great regret. So long as England was not at war with Germany, party politics were free to be discussed. The Financial Statement contained the most debatable matter, and the Opposition was faced with the position of not being able to discuss it. They did not know what was going to happen. At any moment it might become necessary to adjourn Parliament for a time, and even to postpone the general election. "I am not raising this from any party standpoint whatever,'' said the Leader of the Opposition, "but I do not think there is any party in other parts of the world which would have brought down its budget at such a time as this. I think it is most unwise of the Government. If the Government wanted money Bills passed; the Opposition would see that all necessary supplies were granted at once. In England,. Canada, and Australia, party politics were absolutely in abeyance, but here, the day after the news of 1 war has been received, the party sword was clashed. For his own part, he ■ would have to adopt the policy of not criticising the document. : PRIME MINISTER SURPRISED. ; The Prime Minister said that he was surprised, at the statement by the Leader of the Opposition, made, no doubt, in good faith. The people; were entitled to know the financial position. iMr Russell:. The financial position, yes. . That's different from the budget 1 . Mr Myers: It contains the policy of the Government. .••• :.;;'■•.-,• Mr Massey j Yes, and the people are entitled to know the policy of the. Government. :At this juncture, .otherwise there are liable.,to be : misunderstan-dr ings. . . ■ .-■■. . ..' . The Prime Minister added that if the Leader of the Opposition would; not dis* cuss the budget the. responsibility must be his. It was quite possible to discuss the Financial Statement without any party being thrown into the debate. PARTY., DISAPPEARED. '. : Mr G. W. Russell said that' party" had disappeared from the House. They could not possibly discuss the statement dispassionately. He' suggested that the de : livering of the Budget should be postponed for a week. They r did not know what news might be received within the next day or two. It might be such that would change our very existence as a nation, for no one could tell what was to be the result of the terr.ibje war which was now going on in Europe. Mr A. M. Myers (Auckland East) also pleaded that the Government should postpone the introduction of the statement. All party questions must be dropped at this juncture, and theßudget must necessarily contain controversial matter if it outlined the policy of the Government. The Prime Minister said that he had not been convinced by the arguments of the previous speakers, although he had no doubt as to their sincerity. He thought, however, that it would be better for it, and the country generally, if the House went on with its work quietly, as it was Parliament's duty not to create any feeling of panic or insecurity among the people. He reminded hou. members that the Budget was merely to be laid on the table, and the discussion on it would not be set down for some days yet. THE CLIMAX. When the House resumed in the evening, the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Joseph Ward, entered another strong protest against the proposed action of the Government. The Opposition was in such a position that it could .say nothing. If the Government persisted in its intention he would, by way .of, protest, leave the chamber. He could, not sit in the House and go through the formula of remaining silent and seeing a document of such importance .brought .down, a j document which, in the f,ac;e of the present grave crisis, his, party could .not j criticise. The document had been pre-1 pared before the crisis arose and before war had broken out. Members on both sides were standing loyally by the country. They stood absolutely united on both sides. The newspapers of the Dominion had also sunk all party differences and were standing side by side to face the situatiou, and then the Government brought down the most contentious document it was possible to produce. The Opposition was not prepared to discuss the Budget, or anything else of a contentious nature lie was very sorry that the Prime Minister and his colleagues, after consideration, had not complied with his request. Mr W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) : You have been asking for it for days. Sir Joseph Ward: Ido not attach any importance to the lion, .■gentleman 's remarks. We asked for it before Britain became involved in 'trouble; (Hear, hear, and applause,) ! The Prime Minister expressed the opinion that the attitude of the Opposition was a most unwise and improper one to adopt. There was 7iothing in tlie document itself of a contentious nature, although the subjects dealt with in it were such as were usually taken advantage of for party purposes. Mr L. M. Isitt (Cliristchureh North) : Not at this time. PARTY WARFARE ...DROPPED. Mr Massey said that -when the crisis had arisen .party warfare had been dropped, and he hoped it would not crop up again until'things-had-changed. He did Hot object to discussion and criticism, but he could not agree that the Budget was a contentious document. There might be contentious matters

brought up by it, but the document itself was not, contentious- —it simply ,dis-, closed the financial position of the coiin.; try and, detailed some of the most important of the Government's The Budget ;! had already been sent out : all over the,',country and was bejng: eagerly looked for. , , . . Mr, G.. W.-Russell .(Avon) : It' is under seal. f . * Mr Massey : ■ Certainly. i: . : ' Mr Russell :•••• 'Welty :, ik is not riecessftryto break the seals to-tt'ight. 1 ' Mr Mstssey said' that if the docu'metit were not handed out it Would be a great 1 disappointment to many, editors and newspaper propriiet'ors.' 116 was' sorry thatt Sir Joseph Ward took such .a 'view of the 1 matter. The Government had a duty tp' the country, arid it must take the re- 0 sponsibility of bringing down the Budget. CAPITAL NOT WANTED. Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) said that | the Opposition, did not want to make' party capital out of the situation, but it was equally determined that it would not be embroiled in party turmoil. The Budget contained all that was most contentious in the affairs of the Dominion. All that was needed was a short statement of the country's financial position, together with one or two of the most important proposals for expenditure. All thei contentious matters which usually cropped up on the discussion of the Budget should be strictly ruled out. There was no Opposition now, both parties, would stand shoulder to shoulder as the" opposing factions were doing in Ireland and elsewhere in tlie Empire. . He appealed to the Prime Minister at the last moment to withdraw the Budget so as not to compel every member of the Opposition to withdraw in protest. Mr J. Payne (Grey Lynn), amidst cries „of protest from both sides of the House, added a word saying that the proposed action of the Government was most unstatesmanlike. He expressed re'gret #iat the: Prime Minister couid not step beyond, the: confines of party in such a time of crisis. (Hear, hear, and cries of dissent.) The Message: of his Excellency the Governor embodying the Budget was then referred to the House. ! OPPOSITION ' LEAVE CHAMBER. The Hon. J. Allen rose to read his Budget, and the Opposition, as one man, left the chamber. Those who went out were the Liberals, the Independents, Labourites, and Social-Democrats. Not a single member remained except those openly allied; to the Reform Party.