A COLLAPSE

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 184, 5 August 1920, Page 5

A COLLAPSE

Bl i/vJi^i" CUiTICIsM EIS.DS

CARELESS AND LAZY MEM-

BERS

[VliOM OUR CORRESPONDENT. ]

WELLINGTON, Aug. 4. Quits unexpectedly the Financial Debate ended tiii.- ai'lerjioon, though the general opinion a few hours beforehand was that the Budget criticism would easily last a fortnight. . The oveat^ illustrated the absolute lack oi a. coherent Opposition in tlit, House. Tho Liberals have been ujot der a haiidic-ap^ owing to their leader's poor health. They met dining the morning to discuss the situation, when Mr T. Wilford was'asked to undertake Vivo Hon. Mr Mac-Donald's duties while the latter spends a recuperative, holiday at Te Aroha. under strict medical orders.

It is evident that the Reformers did no'fc anticipate the collapse of the debato, which had started with some «ogn of the old-time party vigor the ■previous ©veiling, for they held a meeting this ••morning to discuss theBudget' wich the.-Prime Minister, who thus smoothed away possible criticism by the- preliminary round-table conference.

The Labor Party: certainly had iio idea of allowing; this admirable opportunity for criticism to be wasted. The older hands, including the Leader, left the House to its own devices while they prepared ammunition in the Writing rooms. As for the Independents, they too had preparations to mate. One of them wandered mto the House when the Prime Minister was. Avinding up the cjebate, and there was. no more astonished person than this Independent. ■; The. debate was resumed by Mr G. Hunter (Waipa.wa), who gave only a brief speech, mainly on local matters. When he sat down there were six Liberals, three Laborites and one Independent member present. A fairly full attendance of Government supporters sat quietly watching Avhat would happen. Nothing happened. A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, Apparently the Laborites present, did not realise Avhat they were, missing, for they let the Prime Minister rise to reply. Once fairly under weigh Mr Massey laughingly. thanked the House, amid the amused chuckles ■of his:supporters,-fo'r the compliment paid to the Budget, Avhich it had allowed to go through without criticism, except for two ' speeches on the previous night. Never in his life, he said, had lie heard more miserable failures in the way of criticism. The Prime Minister contentedly filled in half an hour with . observations to a. thin house, and the time arrived to go into Committee on the Estimates. ;

SAVING THE POSITION

* There was still some limited opportunity for general criticism upon the first item in the Estimates. Mr Tv Wilford (Hutt) saw it and urged the Prime Minister to adjourn the Hous3' before passing the motion, remarking that a certain number of members were absent who had intended to speak in the debate which had collapsed,:

Mr Isitt (to. Mr Massey): "You can afford to be generous." * » Mr Massey persisted in pushing on with the business, though he assured the House that he was perfectly sincere in thank/ing it for its flattering reception of the Budget. (Laughter). Mr Isitt:. "(A lot of meinbei* were away preparing their speeches'.'■' (Renewed laughter). „ Mr Pomai-e: "They will 'fall in!"? Mr Wilford; thenproceeded to advise the younger member:-, of the House that they could discuss tho first item of the Estimates in foul' speeches of-ten minutes each, but Mr Massey pointed out that they would not bo fully reported in HanWd, as the proceedings were, in Committee However, Mr Wilford, with a hurried suggestion to a colleague to get his notes from a locker, proceeded to hold the".fort' with a disquisition on conereto roads, until other members were ready to take up the story. ( It ought to be mentioned 1 that eight lueiubers, including the leader of the Labor Party, wei'e away on :i deputation for the Otira Tunnel ■workers to the Minister for Public Works when the debate collapsed, but the general ladj of interest and organisation among the various units opposing the Gocemment is hard to explain, except on tho ground that a good proportion of thj> House consists of new members, while many of the older hands .have fallen into careless habits. . i

The number of members who had intended to speak , "next week" makes an amusing calculation, while the names of many who regularly fade away for the week-end \vould alfc-o.bo. of interest to their constituents. No few;er. than fifteen pairs were arranged for. Friday's division on the Samoan indentured labor motion.

Parliament sits only four days weekly, but an undue' proportion of members have developed- the habit of cutting down even this modest tax on their attention.