THE TENSEST SCENE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 9

THE TENSEST SCENE.

CANADA'S HISTORICAL MOMENT ÜBERALS STILL IN SADDLE. BUT TORIES JUBILANT. (By Cable-Press Association.— Copyright.) ;"!_-* (Received 11 a.m.) OTTAWA, January 15. The tensest scene in the history of the Canadian Parliament was witnessed in the early hours to-day, when the Conservative amendment declaring lack of confidence in the Mackenzie King Government was only defeated by three votes—l2o to 123. Since Parliament opened with the extraordinary spectacle of a Premier (without a seat) having to sit in the Strangers' Gallery, the Government have made frantic overtures to the Progressive and Farmers' party from the West. These, however, split, and five voted against the Government. While the Government was stunned, it will attempt to carry on. but the Conservatives, who are jubilant, declare that the Government's fall cannot be deferred lOl'g. All the Progressives, with the exception of live Independents, and all the Labour members voted with the Liberals against the amendment. After the defeat of the amendment the House adopted without further division the Government's motion which the Conservative leader (Mr. Arthur Meighcn) had sought to amend. This motion was that precedence be given to the consideration of'the Address-in-Beply to the Speech from the Throne. The no-confidence amendment set out that at the general election the Liberals were defeated in a large majority of the ridings; that nine ministers of the Crown, including the Prime Minister (Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King), were defeated; that the Conservatives secured the largest support of the popular vote and have the largest number of members of any party in the House. The amendment further declared that a continuance of the Liberals in office would be a violation of the principles and practice of British constitutional law.— (Reuter.)