Manawatu Evening Standard FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 1926. LABOUR, WILL CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1926, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 1926. LABOUR, WILL CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENT.

Ix the course of a pre-sessional address delUered at Westport on Tuesday night Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, announced his intention of challenging the Government on several points upon which he and his colleagues are at issue with the Government. As, by A 7 irtue of their numbers, the Labour members constitute the second largest party in the House of Representatives, they will, during the life of the present Parliament, constitute the official Opposition.. Greater importance is therefore attachable to Mr Holland’s actions than would liaA'e been the case otherwise, as it becomes that gentleman’s right to state the official Opposition view on any matters brought fonvard by the Government, and to take the foremost part in criticising its policy and actions. Mr Holland’s remarks at Westport appear to indicate an intention to ask the House to express its want of confidence in the Government (1) because of Mr Coates’s alleged contemptuous treatment of the unemployed question, and his reported statement that in such relief works as might be initiated he would not accept dictation from the unemployed in regard to the rates of payment they would receive; (2) because of the Government’s action “in sending to the Legislative Council (alleged) renegade Liberals whose appointment was a reward for having held the Reform Government in office after it had (allegedly) been defeated by the votes of the people in 1922” ; (3) for having (allegedly) “heavily raised the rate of interest on State advances loans” ; (4) for “penalising (again allegedly) public servants who stood as Parliamentary candidates by only permitting them to return to work at reduced wages”; (5) for their “continued dishonouring of the Labour clauses of the Peace Treaty”; and (6) for “(heir censorship of literature (allegedly) uncensored in all, or nearly all, other British countries and their partisan administration of the laAv in connection with that censorship.” As if that were not enough, Mr Holland confesses that he has a few other things up against the Government, including “the High Commissionership being- used as a plum to be given to a Goa tcrnment supporter,” the reference being to Sir James Parr’s appointment to that office. One would have thought that appointment would have been received gratefully by the Labourites, since it gave them the opportunity of add-

mg' to their numbers in the House of Representatives, and, incidentally also, making sure their claim to rank as the official Opposition. It must not be supposed that Mr Holland has any serious belief that he can possibly affect the Ministerial position by launching these thunderbolts against the Government, but he will be ill-advised if he and his colleagues repeat the tactics they displayed in the last Parliament by launching a series of no-confidence motions against the Coates Administration, and thus wasting the time of the House and the country in interminable debates leading, in the long run, nowhere. A party of thirteen cannot be allowed to dictate to a Government commanding 55 votes what it should or should not do, nor should its members be allowed to monopolise the time of the House by attacks on the Government which cannot possibly succeed, first, because they are based on unsound premises, and next because they attack matters of policy upon which the sentiment of the country is largely against the members of the party Mr Holland leads. We do not imagine Mr Coates or his colleagues will lose much sleep over the Damoclesian sword Mr Holland waved over their heads at Westport, _ or that his criticisms of their actions and policy will carry much weight in the country. If he had intimated his intention of assailing 'them on the bus regulations and the Government policy in connection therewith, and the compulsory control of dairy exports, Ave should not have been surprised, because (so it seems to us) they appear to be the most vulnerable points in Government action and policy. But Mr Holland, as a believer in the socialisation of industry and wealth, probably has ideas on those subjects which lie may use against the GoA r ernment on some future occasion, if only to twit them on on their inconsistency in opposing Labour’s nationalisation policy, while handicapping private enterprise. We are inclined to think those tsvo subjects will arouse greater interest in Parliament than any of the charges Mr Holland proposes to bring; against the Government, when the opportunity is afforded him.

A Dunedin telegram states that the exhibition directors have accepted the city corporation’s otter of, £IOOO for the fencing, turnstiles and enhance buildings and also the offer by the samo body of £3OO for a fernery. The usual pre-sessional conference of the Municipal Association of New Zealand Avas held at Wellington yesterday. Mr F. J. Nathan (Mayor of Palmerston North) presided. AIL the proceedings Avere in committee.

An unanimous decision that the Health Department be asked to consider the question ot creating a new hospital district, the ltotoru.a Hospital to be the base of the institution, was reached by the Waikato Hospital Board yesterday. The board considered that, owing to the geographical position of Rotorua, there was no community interest with the Waikato.

The folloAving is the message from the lit. Hon. J. G. Coates that was read at the annual New Zealand dinner in London: “My colleagues and I send warmest greetings to our kinsfolk assembled at the annual New Zealand dinner. I am glad to say the Dominion is prosperous, and its progressive development continues. Our citizens are standing fast in their loyalty to our Sovereign and firm in their determination to do all in their power to foster the cause of Empire unity.”

Speaking at the annual meeting last evening of the Palmerston North Band, Sergeant-Major Bell stated that, as chairman of the New Zealand Drum-Majors’ Association, he had been deputed to draw up new rules in respect to the quickstep competitions for the North and South Island band contests. One of the new proposals submitted was that the judges for the quickstep should, in future, be selected from the Returned Soldiers’ Association.

“A libel on a good community,” declared a Dunedin wholesale druggist this week when referring to Colonel Knott’s allegation of drug-taking in New Zealand. Believing that Colonel Knott had used the word “drugs” in reference to narcotics, the druggist said that the public could be assured that the drug traffic was under the strictest control. “There ‘is no need for undue apprehension or alarm about the sale of drugs in this country,” he assured an inquirer.

At an inquest held in Wellington yesterday afternoon concerning the death from shock caused by burns of a little boy seven months old, the child’s mother said that she had left him sitting on a mat about seven or eight feet away from the range in the kitchen for a moment to go into another room. When she returned the child’s clothes were on fire. Witness immediately pulled off the blazing garments and applied oil to the baby’s burns. Other small children were in the kitchen when the accident occurred. Witness said that she was the mother of six children. The coroner found that the child died from shock arising from burns accidentally received through his clothes catching fire.

At the monthly meeting of the ApitiPohangina Rabbit Board, during a discussion on the broadcasting of poisoned pollard, Inspector Souness and the trustees generally made strong comment on the waste of poison by some farmers in the board’s area, and the opinion Avas expressed that the time Avas not far distant Avhen the board Avould be compelled to sell the poison to the farmers. Trustee Mackley considered that, if the abuse of the privilege of free poison to all ratepayers did not cease, then, in fairness to those farmers Avho Avere practically free from rabbits but. paying rates, the board should compel each farmer to buy his oavia noison." In the meantime, it Avas decided to place a limit on the quantity of poison to be alloived free to ratepayers.

June carnival at Collinson and Cunninghame’s. Lovely flame and new tone crepe do chene scarves, as at present worn, for day or • evening Avear, approximate sizes are 9 x 65, Hi x 60, usual 8s lid to 10s 6d —Carnival price, 7s lid. —Advt.