THE ETHICS OF "PAIRING."

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12202, 24 May 1905, Page 8

THE ETHICS OF "PAIRING."

I CHIVALRY OF THE GOVERNMENT. MR SEDDON-s" SMARTNESS. When the Ministerial Press attempted U to make capital out of the fact that Messrs Maceey, Allen, and C. Lewis did not rote in tho division on the "Public Revenues Bill," we showed that these gentlemen were absent from Wel- . Jington at tho timo on account of illness. W r e could not state whether they had paired or not for the simple reason that pairs are not recorded in "Haneard," but we added that if tho members named were not paired on this occasion, it was simply because the Government, with tho same sort of chivalry as that which inspired the attacks made on the members for their nonvoting, had refused to give them a pair. It turn* out that this was actually what happened. Pairs were refused to Messrs Allen and Massey, and 3lr Lewis did riot apply for ono, knowing it was hopeless. Mr C. Lewis was the Opposition whip, and, in reply to our reporter, said ho waa in a pb_.it ion to state what took place. "First of all," said our representative, "would, you mind explaining the process of pairing, as some of the public may not understand it?" "Certainly," replied Mr Lewis. "A division is approaching. A intends to vote in one lobby, B in the other. A wished to leave tho buildings for a , time, and asks B for a pair. If B refuses, A remains, and loth men vote. If B consents, A goes away, B dees not vote, and tho result of the division is not affected. If A and B aro both leaving Wellington they leavo pain* with the whips, and such pains merely record their respective opinions. If A leaves, and B ; remaining, gives A a pair, ho gives him a.'live' pair, ami A is expected to return tho favour when called upon." <'Thnt is the theory. Does the practice in the Hous. of Representatives coincide with the theory?" "Oh, now you nro approaching the ethics of pairing. It might be supposed that when two sides aro numerically very unequal tho stronger side would make concessions to the weaker. In my experience, since 189G, exactly the opposite has always been tho custom. Tho Government havo always been immeasurably tho stronger, but they have always insisted upon a quid pro quo for their men, while demanding unlimited concession- from us. Let a few instances suffice. When Sir John McKenzie waa absent through illne.- for an entire session, Mr Scobic Mackenzio gave him a pair whenever tho Government demanded it. When Sir Joseph 'Ward waa absent in England, Mr Mc- - Quire did as much for him. A day beforo the session Mr T. Tliomaon, being called home on account of illness in his -family, asked Mr W. Eraser for «. •;. pair. Of oourse, it was given. No ; none supposed that he would be away all the session, but he was, and we wero held rigidly to that pair. The Govern- - ment .though always in the majority, I cannot point to one similar concession." "How, th en, does the Government behaveP'* --.'{Towards the closo of the session of > 1900," replied Mr Lewis, "Mr Massey (-'"'.was called home to what was expected bo the death-bed of a member of his family. He got no pair. Mr James | Alton had to leave owing to on illness .'■; from which he has not yet recovered. hi; He got no pair. Mr Monk was the next /■to go, and'he got no pair. Finally, I succumbed j it never occurred to to ask for one. In that Parliament •the Opposition numbered 17 out of 74. After my departure from the scene, y,Mr McNab, with whom I had been on one issue, thought he had 'arranged a pair for mc with a Minis- . teria—rt. 'Hansard' records the, bobwhich signalised his failure." "Mow does the Premier act in regard |rto pairing P" M Seddon," eaid Mr Lewis, "waxes J-rTerjr; virtuous,; and becomes extremely considerate, of the sick member, as long as #?frus(rojy deal with him theoretically, the past tense. The present ;>=|and.—e future stand upon an entirely footing. Two instances of his during last session will clearly >• indioate h» ideas of how the system of should be utilised. As his an uncertain quantity, I giJtfwnjN gar© him a pair aa soon as ho' PJW—itod to leave the House. If I had ilfra ittiait v w_o wanted to leave, well and if n<it 1 gave him a pair myself, ''remaining in the House, but not voting. |?pfo~: treatment he repaid in a stylo f: 'with which his. name will always be ; associated by all who really know him. |jlit: Aufcust he left Wellington for Christand Dunedin. His departure $;**» bf : iio means unpremeditated, and, he had ample timo in which to make his ;f «rrangflpi_nt*. As Mr Hardy was i'sloaving at the same time, of course I it;for granted that he would pair |s;|th« . Pre—ier. But this did not suit ;lssMH ; Seddon. ' From Christchurch he g; telegraphed, not to mc, nor to his own but to ]—r W. Eraser, asking him Iffor *.pair.-. ,Mr Fraser, not suspecting replied consenting. In other IpfcdrdSt-' : Atr Seddon was not content to I|WUr nn equal terms with Mr Hardy, WbiA : dcverly managed to put one of our cut of action, leaving Mr |f|P— ray. unpaired. On a subsequent occaof sending his whip to $«_e'#i usual, he casually approached Mr v Reid at midnight, and asked for a ;% : pair;. Knowing that Mr Soddon alf: ways got a pair, Mr Reid complied consulting mc. Whereupon, :.; the light honourable gentleman returned to his seat, and intimated that ?; before going to bed the House must put through business which would take : r at least three or four hours. At this . point, Mr Massey and half our men went to bed, the other half remained, and at half-post two on the following afternoon we were still discussing the point we were engaged upon when Sir Seddon left us for his bed. When,' subsequently, I refused to give him a pair, roundly declaring that I was sick of .this everlasting sponging upoi. generosity, I promise you that Mr Seddon presented all the symptoms of one whose tenderost susceptibilities have been deeply wounded, and I believe that he sorrowfully deplored my departure from tho honourable traditions of Parliamentary life." "The Premier," continued Mr Lewis, "baa another truly characteristic habit. After half of our men havo given pairs on a question, it is obvious that few are left to (vote. It is then Mr Seddon's amiable practice to inform his audiences that after all our outcry only ten members out of seventy-four voted for our view. After our sick men had been denied pairs, it is only what we might •xpect to find them taunted with tho nou-appe—-anco of their names in I _B%nsard.' * But there was ono occur- ..'■ rence of that time in which cleverness overstepped itself. It was long after midnight, and a question was being discussedon which everyone wanted to vote. Mr Carroll, though in tho House, was not very well. The Government Whips approached mo. Would • v j give him _ pairP Yes, ho could 'have Mr Massey. But he was dead. ' 1-Very well, he could have Mr Allen, J "who was much more ill than Mr Carroll. Oh, that would never do. And they worried and pestered mc until I consented to » oourse which they sug_S__ed. Next day our room was invaded by a cyclonic Premier and a Seepkh whip, and-well, you will find ; sS_ey , paired with Carroll m Seddon has successfully fewsorted to such practices as these, 7 ' concluded, "* « cheering to

bo taunted by his supporters, 'Had yon again, did he? Oh, he's too many for the whole lot of you,' is about what you may expect if you murmur. I ought, to say, however, that my personal and official relations with the late Mr O'Menra and the present whips, Messrs Flatman and Hogg, havo always been of tho most friendly description, and I do not associate either of them with anything that I have said.''