DECISIVE VOTE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 July 1924, Page 5

DECISIVE VOTE

VICTORY FOR MR MASSEY. NO CONFIDENCE MOTION LOST. A MAJORITY OF FOUR. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION -1 WELLINGTON, July 15. The Government survived the challenge of the Opposition in the House toniglit, when Mr T. M. WilfOrel’s no confidence motion was defeated by 37 votes to 33. After a debate which had run into its third week the House agreed to present a respectful address to His Excellency in reply to His Excellency’s speech. The debate was continued when ‘the House resumed at 2.30 this afternoon, and after the division on the amendment members adjourned at 11.5 p.m. to start- the real work of the session to-morrow.

Air L. Mcllvride (Napier) dealt with the question of a naval base at Singapore, detailing the reasons which lie believed were at the back of the agitation for a base, which reasons, he argued, were just why a base should not be built. A Singapore base meant war, and if we were against war and in favour of international peace, then we should oppose this proposal. Mr A. Harris (Waitemata) criticised the decision to abandon the Singapore base as being in the face of the best expert advice in the Empire, and the British Government had rejected that expert opinion without in any way consulting the Dominions. The decision was a mistake, because -the most effective provision against war was to be prepared for war. Idealistic principles were all very well so long as everybody else was idealistic, but while other nations were arming and preparing for war it was our duty to unite, in our own defene . Unfortunately, the Empire was to-day disunited on the question of Imperial defence.

.Mr A. Bell (Bay of Islands) urged Liberals and Reform to unite their forces against Labour, because after all Labour was the real Opposition in the House. As to his own position, he declared lie was returned as an Independent, with one reservation, and that- was that if want of confidence in the Government was moved by the Labour Party he would support the Government. That was what he had done, because he had to consider country before party. He denied having in any way influenced an appointment to the Legislative Council.

Mr Bell said lie was disappointed at the land policy of the present Govern-ment,-and he asked the Government to lose no time in settling the waste lands of the Dominion. He strongly advocated the bringing out of boy immigrants rather than grown-ups, and setting them to work amongst our own farmers. They would grow up in our own atmosphere and would, ultimately develop into some of our most successful settlers. As assistance to the producers of the Dominion, he strongly advocated the raising of a- loan of £5,000,000, for it would handsomely pay the country to do it. He considered it his duty, under all circumstances, to support the Government, which had done so much to restore the country from the troubles which had fallen upon it as a result of the war.

Mr J. C. Rolleston (Waitomo) expressed appreciation of the work being dene in the backblocks in the interests of education, especially in establishing combined schools, where a higher standard of education could he obtained than in smaller institutions. THE DIVISION LIST.

Following is the division list on Mr Willord’s amendment:—

For the amendment (33) —Armstrong, Ban-tram. Buddo, Corrigan, De la Perelle, Edie, Forbes, Fraser, Hanan, Holland. Howard, Jordan, Longstone, Lee, Lye, McCombs, Mcllvride, McKay, McKeen, Masters, Monteith, Munro. Murdoch, Ngata, Parry, Poland, Ransom, Savage, Sidev, Smith, Sullivan, Veitch, Wilf or d. Against the amendment (37) —Anderson, Bell. Bitchener, Bollard, Coates. J. Me. Dickson, J. S. Dickson, Field, Girling, Glenn, Harris, Hawken, Henare, Hockley, Hudson, Hunter, Isitt, Linkiater, Luke, Lysnar, McLeod, McMillan, Massey, Nash, Nosworthv. Parr. Pomare, Potter, Sir 11. Rhodes. H. Rolleston, .J. C. Stewart, Svkes, Urn. Williams, Witty, Wright. Young. Pairs—For the amendment: Horn, Atmore, McPherson, O’Brien. Against the amendment: F. J. Rolleston, Guthrie, T. W. Rhodes, Burnett. J. C. Thomson (Wallace) was absent, tnd was not paired.