THE MINISTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 230, 26 September 1903, Page 6

THE MINISTRY.

WANT OF CONFIDENCE.

AX IRRESPONSIBLE MOTION

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

For the second time this session the House luis been treated to a want of confidence debate, a motion to this effect being moved this afternoon by Mr H. D. Bedford, senior member for Dunedin. The ensuing debate was of a rather lifeless nature, though several strong supporters of the Government handled the Ministry severely. . TJie motion came as a surprise to the House, Mr Bedford, who is a member of the independent section, not having consulted the Opposition or anybody else outside his own little coterie. " Under the circumstances solid support from the Opposition could scarcely be anticipated, and it was not forthcoming, the debate being rather lifeless in tone, taken as a whole.

Mr Bedford brought up the matter on the second reading of the Imprest Supply Bill, moving as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day six months, as an indication that the House was dissatisfied with the present constitution of the Ministry. He felt it his duty to divide the House on the question, because he knew the country was not satisfied with the Ministry, but believed that it was not as strong as it could be made out of tho material of which the Government party was formed. The Premier was flouting the wish of the House in not strengthening the Ministry, as was so earnestly desired. He did not want to refer to any member personally, but he protested against the inefficiency of the Ministry as a whole. If the" llouse was satisfied that it was as strong as it should be, then there was nothing more to be said. Personally, 'when addressing his constituents, -lie had been very heartily applauded when he said that the Ministry was not as strong as it should be, and should be reconstructed.

After waiting in vain to sec if any Opposition member Mould second, Mr T. Taylor (Christchureh) seconded tlie amendment -with a great deal of satisfaction. There was not a newspaper in the colony on either side in politics which had not expressed dissatisfaction with the. constitution of J; ho Ministry at the present time. Fearing that the Opposition would vote en bloc against the amendment, because it was not authorised, Mr Taylor sought to place, them on the horns of a dilemma by declaring that if they followed this course they would go against their declarations on the election platforms that the Government was not worthy of. support. On the Government side of the House there was a strong feeling of disgust at the manner in which the last appointments to the Ministry had been made. He charged the Premier with having deliberately chosen the weakest men on his side of the House, and Government members knew this, and were disstisfied accordingly. There was scarcely a man on either "side of the House who would not in private conversation say that he was sick of the present constitution of the Government. The Premier said that as he had seen the mover of the motion among the Opposition benches he supposed the leader had been consulted. Mr Massey: Xo. The Premier: It is unnecessary to ask whether the amendment was moved with the approval of the leader of the Opposition. Mr Massey: Quite unnecessary. Mr Duitihde expressed 'the Tiew that a question of the kind could (hardly l>e brougflit before iflio House wittoout careful eomsidefraiti'On, but lie 'would rote for the amendiittetnit because he had mo confidence in the Government from top to boifctom, and wiould aihv&ys vote agiainsifc them. Mr Lewis, rallying to Mir Taylor, sai'id the Opposition was trader no obligation tio vote for 'the aimenidimenlt. Their position was eleiairiy dcvfined, amid the country knew 'how 'tlhey wonilid vote in case, of a, "no-comfid'e-nce." voibe which Qrad any dliffiaiioe of getting tdiirougii. With tilio Inctepiemicleait members at waia different. It woe an im.posaibilit.y to. gelt from them a dedteittutiom of how they wo'Uild vote on a nio-ooinfi'dcnee motion, befiwre the elecition.

>Ir Ivtoissey also saii'rt itlta.t <£he mem- jbers of ibis'party wore cut iiterty to vote on ifclie que.4tdicm just ,as tfliey felt indined. He mett consulted about tliii:3 motion, mid knew moitMmg ailxmtfc it till it was proposed. He li'aicl exipresa■ed ddseafris fact ion wiil'h the Government ttirao after iiknte, Band intended to vote foir such an nimewclmiicwt wheitiher moved 'by Mr Bedford ot anyone otee.

Mr R. MeKenzie -brook itlfoe opportunity to protest against the (non-espemditiiTie of o'liamts pfliaced on itflie Estoinnialties, and saiid itlralt 'the Gove<muienlt would find that if they did mat act -more justily in this way, they would tee support in tire coum'tny dfetiriete. He cledkired tilnait Uicme was -wikleispraald diis'saltiisfiaeti'on iiliToirgli'ou't t:lic eoawiitfy ait (the personnel of t'ho Miinratry, fund prediobed tliihvt if cbaniig'es were not imaidie befoire tlie next election, a strong vote would be areeoi'clnd against itibe G'OTeirnmenit. Mr Letihbridge ■was prepared to vote in favour of aaiTPuaimemt 'tfli-ait would tiiwi miit the Ministry,. but this anwndiiiorvt di<l nwl; siigigest that- It woiild merely filter the peraomnel. "Yoti oanliDt make a Jfiniistivy 'on ithait side tliw/t ■\viilll pteaS'o aiip, so wlhat is 'the use of tuiraiing tAv-o on- ifchiree 'ffietmibers ouit and pulltina: othcTis in?" he said. . The Pnemiier dooliaiml (that the nnovteir amxl soc'iomxler had no wleia of the responsibiility of the position, brut hfld rushed into the situation headioaig. He (hibped other meonbera would have a better sense of their responsibility. Tlie paesage of "the lamieTU&raienit woiilid mean ihaifc no eaJaries ooirkl be ip!\iid to Civil Servants for six anan'Wis. It hiad simply been prioip'Oa'eid 'beenmse the mioveir desirod to awake 'hiiniself w>**xpfcnm thi'onghouit the icoiinlfcry. He did not wisili to hurt hfe feelings, but asked Mr Bedford to remember that be was only a juvenile, and yet he ipnesumied to ~ tell ■meimbpirs of the Oppositiion that they must voibe for 4:his rmoitiosn. If trie hon. mom her wislhed tO <?pt on tine Treasury Benches he wotwd not- do it ! l>y proposing a motion of that nature. He dhiaMeng- ,- ed nvembers to show 'anytihing -that had been said in disparagement, of tlie Ministry. Mr said he was going to vote aigain'?it itihe aimendiment. for the reason it was p-ro-l>oi=!ed by a,n' irresponßiiblie member, and had no other efl'eot but to delay the business o>f the eounitry. On any ■gomiiioie vote of his ■vow. wtotiild UMdioubtedly be oast agaanet the Government, but 'he protested asyaJnsi the waste of time <jamsed by the present amsmdnrenit. Mi , E. W, Alisoia xegrsatbad (tha-t the

ainendnienit had been moved at so inopportune a time. Such >a 'moitawn should have been moved after unity of action had "been, arranged. He dee-laired that undoubtedly in ere was a feeling of dis-

isa.ti»fa-3fcioa against the composition of the Government. Out of a Ministry of eight, only two were from, the North, «, fact which, ereater , a good dead of disisaitisf'aotio'n in< Auckland. The Nioirth had a larger population, a larger area, *und larger exports, and it was und'O'Uibitedly unfairly treaited.. Mr McKenzie: Send better men. Mr Alison: "That is just our ground of complaint. The best men are not chosen." He explained that he -would not have voted for the amendment under the circumstances in which it was proposed, littd he not given a platform pledge that he would vote for any motion which expressed dissatisfaction with the constitution of the Ministry. Mr Wilford said the time was coming when a reconstruction would be absolutely necessary. He would vote against Mr Bedford, but if the vote had been brought on by a responsible party in a direct manner he would have been in an awkward position. He thought the Ministry would."be strengthened by the inclusion of 2>lr Millar.

Mr Ell found fault with the Ministry, but would not vote for the amendment because the Premier had promised him that a change would be i-ffected.

Mr Hunan declared that if a reconstruction were not made this session some of the Government's loyal supporters would be found in opposition. Mr Hone Heke thought that the motion should not be treated seriously.

Mr P. E. Baiuixe disagreed entirely with the manner in which the motion had been brough.it forward. In his speech Mr Bedford gave practically no reason whatever fox it. The dissatisfaction of the member for Dunedin was with the whole Ministry, despite his assertion to the contrary, as was proved by the fact that more than once he had expressed himself as being dissatistied with the Premier, the head of the Government. Auckland was, he said, not satisfied with the composition of the Ministry, but assuming that the motion was carried, Mr Bedford would be faced with a serious difficulty. He would be sent for to form a Ministry when, as a matter of fact, he could not form one that would last for ten minutes. Mr Banme went on to say that the dissatisfaction existing throughout the colony was cot merely lwssd on local ideas, nor was it parochial. Auckland people were dissatisfied, not because there was too smsll a proportion of North Islanders in the Ministry, but because they believed that the Ministry was not the strongest the party could obtain.

Mr Bedford, by way of personal explanation, stated that he had not intended the motion as one of No-Confi-dence, the disingenuouptiese of which explanation raised a smile. The Hon. Jas. McvJowan remindedthe mover and seconder that the Government was before the country ait the last elections, and was still on the Treasury Benches, which constituted the best answer to the statement that the country was dissatisfied with the administration. Replying to Mr Baume and Mr Alison, that the Auckland pnopie were dissatisfied, Mr McGowan said that he came from near AuckHuid. If they were not satisfied with him, why did they not say so? reason why there were so many Southerners in tho Ministry was that the North did not support the Government in the same way as did the South, and did they suppose,that th© Government was going to take its Ministry from the district in which it was not supported?

After further debate, the amendment was defeated on a division by 45, votes to 19, the mover not availing himself of the right of reply.

Tn concluding liis irepily om (the 'lebait'e oui 't'lu' Imprest Supply WAI, Mr

Sed'd'Oin dipfend'ed the Kinflway adimimistoitiio'ii, 'H.iTfl ])odnted to mamy coweessioaiß that 'bad bprai given rtso the jy&neiriail jm'b]\c. Ai'tfliiougili ithwre had ibe'cn increased expenditure there li«id wlao 'been inore'ap.ed revenue ifco nearly a. UniUi'ii'on isiterlinpf. In t:he nlbeemce 'Of Mianisit'Oir for lkidlwaiye, tihie attack tlrart

had been ma.de on the DepiairtnKHit was «xta-emeily unfair. The House would aiot get the Public Works Estimates till the Cons.olida.ted Estimates w-eye through, even if the session took till CfordiStoas.