THE PARTY GAME

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 148, 26 June 1925, Page 6

THE PARTY GAME

HAS MR. HOLLAND "MISFIRED"?

COURTESIES IN DEBATE

NO-CONFIDENCE AMENDMENTS.

.The Labour Party claims that it is the real Opposition in Parliament, , and perhaps it was with the idea of hxing that impression in the public ■mind that Mr. Holland got in first yesterday.-.with- notice of his. intention to move an amendment to the Address-in-Reply. Constitutionally, ■the Leader, of the Opposition has the right to inov© an amendment first, , but the fact that ■ Mr.' Wilford was silent yesterday does not indicate •that'he has lost his.right of priority. Yesterday's incident, has been much discussed in Parliamentary . circles, and the opinion of authorities on'procedure is that Mr. Holland nas, to-use one expression quoted, ,'nusfired:" "It was only an effort to play to tho gallery," remarked one Parliamentarian. "Many imagine that giving such notice deprives Mr. Wilford of the right to first move a motion of no-confidence if he so desires it. ■ Such is not the case. Under Parliamentary procedure,' which no qnt» knews much: better than Mr. Wilford the Leader o£ the Opposition, in this casu Mr. Wilford, has the right to speak first after: thg mover and seconder of th« Address-in-Eeply have spoken, and while so speaking can-move any motion he likes without giving notice." The position appears to be, therefore, that after Messrs. M'Lennan and Hudson have opened the Address-lin-Reply debate next Tuesday night, Mr. Wilford will have the right to speak next when the debate is resumed on Wednesday, and if. he moves an amendment this will automatically' take precedence of .-"■ Mr. Holland's amendment. After Mr. . Wilford has, concluded his speech he will ] doubtless be followed by. a Minister, or by- some-other, member, of the' Reform j Party, which is the custom followed in the House, and it willt not be until then that Mr.' Holland will be likely to be called on., So, it is quite on the cards that, to use: a term/ often heard in the House, Mr. -Holland's ; amendment, may yet be "well down the order paper." Jtis usually accepted as the function .of the Leader of: the Opposition to ask questions of the Prime Minister on the order of procedure to be followed in the business of the House.! Mr. Wilford did not do so yesterday, and Mr. Holland addressed a query to the Prime Minister on the point. It was distinctly noticeable that, in his reply the Prime-; Minister addressed his remarks to the Leader of the Opposition, and that the>■:information which:■: Mr. Holland sought was imparted to"Mr. Wilford.