TOISTERS AND EX-MINISTERS

Evening Star, Issue 14966, 28 August 1912, Page 9

TOISTERS AND EX-MINISTERS

MATTER OF FAITH. WHIPS CRACK IX VAIN: £Fkom Orn Parliamentary Tlf.iop.tke.') WELLINGTON, August 28. In the conn-e of the debate on the IniWst Supply Bill 'ast evening tiro Ron. Mr tlerrics twitted tome members on the Opposition benches with having delivered speech-m durbar the debate which would have beer, more in keeping with the debate on the Budget. A little later in the evening tho member tor Avon rose and explained to the Uousa why certain prominent netnbeiv. of ilie Opposition had tef rained from speaking in the Financial Debate. Before the Budget debate started, said Mr Russel!, a distinct arrangement was made between live senior Government "Whip and the- Opposition sido of the Ifoure that ex-Ministers should bo immediately followed in debate by occupants of tho Treasury benches. A e'-- what was the resultT asked ’-ho honorable gesitleinain With the execution of the Minister of Alanne, not a single Minister responded to ;'io 4,-tdieti m.ide by ex-M buster?. ibis Vi-oaksng of the arrangement was regarded l,v the meuuxvrs on the Opposition side of tiie Hovsc with indignation, as being a breach of faith. Mr Guthrie; Absolute nonet use. Mr Ktisrei:: But 1 say it was sc. and we decided to make our protest by not eontinning the o chat-?. PLAY THE GAME. Mr Guilds sided that- when the debate started he inter viewed the Whip on the other side in order to 'ensure a fair and orderly debate. The member for Hurtinui was not able to say v.-'no would speak, but the Government party were resolved to -.lav the game. 'limy wore net looking to f-eplv to 16 ex Aliniftorw, as they had only -odhv'de who should be taken for Minis-;,-iiai reply. It wae arranged. therefore, that the Minister of Finance should reply to tho right hen. tho member for Awtinra., that- tho Minister of Railways should reply to th» late Minister of Railways, tho Minister of Justice u> tho Uuo Minister of Justice, and that the honorable member who represented the native race on t'no other si.lo choral be replied to by tno native, te-r.r-’sentafivo c-n the Government side. Suit-.-oqnontiy members on t-ho GoveiTiment benches became so disgusted at the mannc-i : n which tho del.ate was being carried on i.v the other side that tb.ey decided to close down. Mr Naata: Wh.y did not the Minister of Public Works reply to Urn- la to Minister of Pubic Works'.' Mr G uthrie expressed th •? opimen that tho Late Minister oi Public Winks did not deliver a Public Works speech. Oppositionists: Oh. oh. Mr Guthrie: “Well, the present Minister of Public Works did not. have tune to v.ropare a speech.” The honorable gentleman went on to say that ho bad mot the member for Avon in the lobby a day or two alter the debate started, and had agreed to the arrangement he suggested as being perfect I v satisfactory. ' Mr Russell reiterated that the member f.-r Oreraa had declared to him that they were going to play the game by putting up a Minister after every ex-Minister on the other side, which ho'understood to mean m-mbers of the Mackenzie Government. .Ministerialists: “ Xo.”) Air Russell: Well, I understood him to mean that, and then there followed no reply to Mr Macdonald. Mr Ell, or Mr l.aurenson I went to Mr Guthrie again; and have I that hon. member’s permission to repeat., his answer to mo y lr Guthrie: Ray on. OFF HIS HEAD WITH WORK. Mr Russell; Well, he said that he wanted Air Eraser to reply to Mr Macdonald. Mr Guthrie; Xo. no. Mr Russell: 1 will give all that he said. He said ho wanted Mr Fraser to reply, but he was off his head with work, and was too busy to prepare a speech. He also said ho wanted to get Mr Rhodes to reply to Air Ell, but he was also too busy with his work to prepare a speech. Mr Guthrie : Xo. no. Mr Russell: But I say yes. There was nothing said about ;h> member for Awama being followed by the Minister of Finance, but a distinct- understanding, as I took it, that Ministers should follow members of the Mackenzie Government, and the arrangement was not kept. Air Guthrie, senior Government Whip, declared that the memory of the last speaker must be defective. What he had told Mr Russell was that Mr Macdonald’s speech had been a general speech, and not Public Works speech, and as he was busy the Hon. Air Fraser did not feci called on to replv. The same he liad said respecting the He had added that tho Hon. Mr Rhodes was not given to speechmaking, and lie- did not deem it necessary for him to reply. Mr Russell: I didn't make that icmark a>t all. A MISERABLE STATEMENT. Mr Xosworthy. tho junior Whip, endorsed Mr Gutlrrie'iS statement. “After the way yon have lie ha veil this evening,” he added, indignantly indicating Mr Bussell. "and the. reflection you have cast on the Whips on this side, I can only say H is a miserable, statement, am! only one that would come from a miserable mind on your side of the House." (Member? ; “ Db, oh.”) The Speaker: Those remarks must bo withdrawn. Air Xosworthy complied, remarking that he and his colleague had been trying to give a fair deal. Th-r- lion, member should be ashamed of himself mr what ho hud said. Mr Russell i appeal mg to tho Speaker); Is that parliamentary language. Mr Speaker: Yes; it is parliamentary. (Laughter.) The Opposition Whip. Mr Tories, after narrating Ids version of the affair, went on to say that he believed the Government Whips had tried to do their very, very best to conduct the debate on fair and square lines. However, tho whole discussion had arisen from the remark of tho Minister of Railways; that they had got in behind the Opposition, giving*tho impression that they haa out jockeyed them in the debate. Tne Hon. Mr Hordes assured the House ho was not alluding to the Financial Debate. Commenting upon tho discussion, the Hun. Mr Fisher added that these nd<stnideistandings would always occur while they had a headJ-ms corps;- i.-> de.d u ;cti.