NATIONAL GOVERNMENT FORMED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8209, 5 August 1915, Page 2

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT FORMED.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

FULL HOUSE AND CROWDED GALLEEIES. i BOTH PARTY LEADERS SPEAK. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, August 4.. The House of Representatives met, at .2.30 .p.m. After some formal business had been transacted, in full House, and in the .presence of crowded, galleries, the Right Hon. W. F. ..Massoy rose arid said he must ask the indulgence of the House .to .make a statement with re-

.gard .to a subject, not only of interest to .Parliament, but to the public. He need Hardly .remind the people ' that for some time. past", negotiations had been an ,prqgress between the two •main parties 'and: the''-leaders',of those parties. 'The. object of the conference was,ito.form a National Cabinet for carrying on the affairs of tlie country while the war was -in. progress.... Negotiations .went on for some time, but a week \ago it looked as though they fall through. Under ordinary circumstances, he would have advised his parity ito .carry :6n, -even with their slender majority, and he believed they would . lhave got through s uccessf ully and satisfactorily." The circumstances, however, were not ordinary. The Empire was passing through the most serious crisis in its' history. Members would agree with him that it was impossible for a Government with a slender majority to do all the work and business required to be done in [order to enable the. Dominion to do 'its. duty to the Empire. That was practically the only reason for the formation -of a National Cabinet. He hoped that what was being done would be advantageous both to the Empire and the country. It was not inappropriate, Tie thought, that the agreement should have heen arrived at on the anniversary^ of the declaration of , war. It was only right that he should mention his appreciation of the generosity of his colleagues and party. His colleagues had come forward and offered their resignation in order to make way for the formation of a National Cabinet. All his supporters, although some of them would not agree with what -was being done, were perfectly, satisfied to leave everything in, his hands. With the concurrence of the Leader of the Opposition, they agreed -upon a conference of the principal men from botli sides of the House, quite constitutionally,-.- at the- request of His: Excellency the Governor, to. consider ■'the/proposal.; Speaking , gene-rally', he., could say that the result of that conference, was known to.members,' They had arrived at aTjasis (agreed upon by both sides) upon which negotiations could continue for the formation of a National Cabinet. The basis which they agreed upon had been referred to a caucus of the respective parties. As far as he could learn, the result of the party caucuses had boen. the. same in each ease; that was-to say members had agreed to stand .to their, respective leaders inathe decision, they had come to. He would not go into the proposals in detail now, but the most important points were as follows:—He (Mr Massey) would continue as Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition would control the portfolio of Finance. The Hon. James Allen would continue to control Defence. The representation from both sides of the House would be equal. He was not able to say what members the new':, Cabinet would consist of, but the European representation would be equal, and the Native member would continuo to occupy the same position as he did now. He thought the working of the proposal would be successful in tho ordinary sense of the word. Tho proposal of equal representation would, perhaps, startle some of the public—perhaps, also, some- of the members,- ■ but he would say that tho Government in their tenure of office never once had to take a division. He thought that the National Government would continue

on similar lines.. There wore a number of details to be arranged. He proposed to ask Parliament to adjourn for a fortnight to work out the details.

Sir Joseph Ward . stated that. he .•wanted to add a few words to what the Prime Minister had said. They were living in ■ abnormal ■ times, which required .abnormal changes to meet the circumstances. He wanted to say that but for the .crisis,, there could be i doubt that the change that this country was about to witness in the formation of a National Cabinet to carry on the 'work, on behalf of Parliament, could not have oventuated. He wanted to make it clear, and he spoke for his side of the House, that he did not regard the change as a coalition; he looked upon it ;as a National Cabinet, brought into existence for the pur]pose of enabling the country to show united action to other parts of the world, and deal with matters directly affecting the war, without party warfare. The whole position.was due to 'the emergency facing the Empire dur- ' ing the war.,' He paid a tribute to the 'disinterested manner in which His | Excellency ,had conducted the conference. He added that had the National j Cabinet not been formed, the country I would hive been faced with a dissolution which, at the present juncture,Avould have been unthinkable, and he, i for one, would not have accepted ihe I responsibility for such a state of | affairs. He recognised that it was in. 1 I the best' interests of the country to j have no: dealing in .vital- matters. In j his- judgment, no .Government'- with a j slender'majority could, with reasonable certainty and satisfaction, meet the i national needs in such a crisis as this. A strong Government was needed—one that would have the help of Parliament as a whole, not only in_ matters of legislation, but of ad T ministration at a time uniqiie in the j JEmpire's history. Referring to the basis of equality, Sir Joseph Ward remarked that the co-operative plan was one of mutual concessions instead of. divisions to enable tho work to be carried on. He recognised that tho Prime Minister should retain the position'of Leader of the Reform Party. He himself would retain the position of Leador of the

i Opposition. He, and ho was perfectly ] certain .others with him, would work loyally and zealously with the other party for tho benefit of New Zealand find thft Empiro, and to uphold tho ! principles of freedom md justice on '

which the British Empire was found- ; cd. Mr J. Payne, speaking with the indulgence of the House, said he thought he was not speaking for any party. He, as a Labour member, would express the opinion that it was a credit to the House that they had come to this arrangement at a time of crisis. He thought Labour throughout the Dominion would be doing well if it gave similar support.

Civil List Amendment Bill. At tho close of the statement by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, the Civil List Amondmont Bill was introduced by Governor's message. The Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, in moving the second reading, said the Bill required a little explanation. It provided for the appointment of two additional paid Ministers, making the Cabinet 10 in number, and increasing the amount appropriated for. salaries from £9700 to £11,700. The Bill was treated as a matter of urgency, and passed all stages without, discussion.

Committees were given permission to sit to-morrow, and the Premier moved that the House adjourn till 7.30 on August 19. " The House rose at 3.27 p;m.