IMPREST SUPPLY BILL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9855, 24 July 1914, Page 2

IMPREST SUPPLY BILL.

A BREEZE iN THE HOUSE,

PRIME MINISTER TEACHES SIR JOSEPH A LESSON. (Bl THJtQBAPH.) (FbOM OUB PA&LUMKNTABX Repobtib.) WELLINGTON, July 23. The Leader of the Opposition and his following were in a very angry mood this afternoon because an Imprest Supply Bill was brought down without any previous intimation, but it was shown by the Prime Minister that they'were only getting paid! back in their own coin. f Thursday is Local Bills day, but no' such Bills have yet found their way into the! Order Paper, and some private members 1 Bills consequently appeared "on top" today. When formal business had been disposed of the monthly Imprest Supply Bill was brought down in the usual way by Governor's Message, and this of course took precedence of all other business on the Order Paper. The Leader of the Opposition bitterly complained that the Premier had not notified him that the Imprest Supply Bill was to be brought down to-day. He said that it was the usual custom of the Leader of the House to notify the Leader of the Opposition when such a Bill was about to be introduced, but in this case he had received no such notification. The Premier reminded the Leader of the Opposition what occurred three Weeks ago when a no-confidence motion had been brought forward without the customary notification being given to him. Sir Joseph Ward: You did that yourself! Mr Massey: I never did it. There was one occasion upon which a letter from myself as Leader of the Opposition to the then Prime Minister went astray, but that was not my fault. Notice of a want of! confidence motion was invariably given] by me either in the House or by letter to the Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Ward: Does the Prime.Minister say that what he has just stated is the reason why he did not notify me that the Imprest Supply Bill was coming down to-day? Mr Massey: Yes, I do. I wish to bring home to the Leader of the Opposition a sense of his discourtesy. I am always glad to extend every courtesy to the Leader of the Opposition and his followers, but I also expect that courtesy in return. I knew that he would get up and complain, and I was waiting for him. Thereafter in the discussion several members of the Opposition continued to expatiate on the action of the Prime Minister in angry terms. During the subsequent discussion on the point this evening, Mr McCombs (Lyttelton) said that there was a third party in the House—the Labour Party, and this party should also be notified when an Imprest Supply Bill was to be introduced. Mr Mander (Marsden): Who is the leader of the third party? Mr Payne (Grey Lynn): You will find out in time. Mr McCombs: If.it is served on our rooms at the other end of the buildings it will be all right. An hon. member: What about the Independents ? Mr McCombs: If they are independents they cannot claim to be a party. (Laughter). An hon. member: A party- of one! (Laughter). Hon. R. McKenzie said that not only the leaders of parties but every hon. member on that side of the House should be notified. (Laughter). OPPOSITION LEADER'S OVERSIGHT. Sir Joseph Ward, speaking later in the evening, said that the reason he did not notify the Prime Minister that he was going to move the want of confidence motion was due to an oversight. It was the first time that he had moved a want of confidence motion, but he did not claim that that excused his oversight, which he regretted. Mr Massey said that after the frank statement of the Leader of the Opposition, he wished also to express regret that he did not notify the right hon. gentleman that he was going to bring down an Imprest Supply Bill. He had felt that he had been slighted in regard to the want of confidence motion, as he had never heard of such a motion being brought forward without notice. He had known a number of occasions upon which an Imprest Supply Bill had been brought down without notice. Sir Joseph Ward: Not by me. Mr Massey: I admit that. Ido not remember any instance in which the right hon. gentlemtn failed to notify me, but I remember other instances. Ido not, however, wish to go into ancient history. As to the third party's request to be notified of Imprest Supply Bills, I will take that into serious consideration. Mr McCombs: Thank you. During the discussion Hon. R. MoKenzie pointed out that there had been a reduction in the number of men employed upon road and railway construction. ]■&&« were many who should be in profitable employment, and the Government took no notice of them. Mr Veitch championed the right of Civil Servants to full citizenship. Hon. James Allen replied to Hon. R. MoKenzie's criticism of Public Works expenditure, stating that appropriations were not taken to carry on works until 31st March, but to October and September. A fair average expenditure had been maintained on every line where possible. He contrasted by means of figures public works expenditure under the Ward Government and under the Reform Government, claiming that there had been no tapering off by the latter, who had spent £2,421,000 last year. There was a great deal of unemployment in the Dominion as an aftermath of the strike. Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that fourteen old members of the Council had voted for the Reform Bill. This gave the Government a majority of six apart from the new appointments. The Premier had said it was necessary to make new appointments to oarry through new legislation. The figures of the division showed that no such appointments were necessary, but in the new appointments Labour had not been given fair representation. Mr Massey said he should have the assistance of the House fh putting through the business instead of being obstructed. His object was to put through Bills even if they had to sit right up to the date when Parliament expired By effluxion of time, and the Government programme was going through. He held that the Government had a perfect right to keep the membership of me Council up to its proper strength. The recent appointments had been well received on all' sides. Mr Russell said events that day proved conclusively that the new appointments to the Council were not justified and the Reform Bill could have been carried without them. I Mr Veitch said the Government/ had strengthened finance by withholding expenditure.