MINORITY SEATS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 96, 20 October 1937, Page 12

MINORITY SEATS

MR. WRIGHT'S LIST COMPLIMENT RETURNED "The Government does not represent an overwhelming majority of the people of the Dominion, as has been claimed for it," declared Mr. R. A. , Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs) during his speech on the Budget in the House of Representatives last evening. "It represents 46 per cent, of the people who voted at the last election." The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple): Will the hon. gentleman deny that l it has the greatest majority in this House of any Government in the last 25 years? Mr. Wright: That may be, I am not disputing that, but the fact remains that it is a minority Government. It is in power—l am not complaining about that—according to the rules laid down, but it is in office with only 46 per cent, of the people behind it. I don't think that is a good thing for the country. The member for Manukau (Mr. A. G. Osborne) had caused amusement to other Government members by tilting at the Opposition on the minority seats some of its members held, said Mr. Wright. Personally he did not believe in that method of attack at all. (Government laughter.) A man was elected to the House under the rules, whatever they might be, but if hon. members were going to throw it up at other members that they were minority members he thought it was fair to return the compliment. A Government member: Who started it? Mr. Wright proceeded to reading a list of nineteen Government members returned on minority votes, to the accompaniment of exclamations of "Shocking" and "Good gracious from Opposition members, and interjections indicating mock concern from Government members. "I put this on record simply by way of self-defence," he continued, amid laughter from the Government benches. Mr Semple: Would the hon. gentleman "refuse to take his seat on a minority vote? Mr Wright: I have already stated that I am not finding fault with any man returned according to the rules of the election, although I don t agree with the principle. I want to tell the hon. gentleman that either at the last election or the one before he was m a minority. it A . Mr. Semple: I soon fixed that. (Government laughter.) Mr A. G. Hultquist (Government, Bay of Plenty), who was the next speaker, pointed out that 31 members of the Government were majority members, but only six of the Opposition were majority members in a House or SO. -——-—======