THE COALITION PROPOSAL

North Otago Times, Volume CI, Issue 13327, 29 July 1915, Page 6

THE COALITION PROPOSAL

IffiJECTEJ) BY OPPOSITION..I ■" .■'»: '.» — '_'*"•. (Per Presi Auooisiloo). ' ' .. 'Wellington, July as. Till' Government Party held a meeting after, the House rose at 5.u0 p.m. to-day for the purpose of considering the reply .'.received from the Opposition, as the result of their caucus this morning. ~ > Seen at thecloseof the meeting, Mr Guthrie, OjuefVGovermiicut Whip, stated tlwit Mr'Massey laid the Opposition rcplyJ!|beforc the party, which reply was j£ refusal of the terms offered by the Government for a- National Cabinet.:; General regret was, said Mr (inthvjc, expressed by the party that such ;a reply had been given to what were;;.considered fair uud reasonable pi-npqsals. .Guthrie further stuted that it was Ajulikcly j,hat negotiations would be proceeded with. CORRESPONDENCE! Thfe; following correspondence, which passed' between the Premier and the Leadffr of the 'Opposition <m" the subject ,of the National Cabinet has been handed to-the press for publication:— '•' Priiiie"M'uiister's Office; Wellington, 27th July, 1915,—Dear Sir Joseph-Be-ferring to-your conversation-of yesterday, and to the proposal to form a National •Government-to carry on the business-of the country until the 'termination of the war, I have decided, on behalf of the Government party, to .submit'the following proposals for your <:oiisidjerat|ohj—(jj'•' The proportion from -each side of the House in the National Ministry .to be as 'follows:, From !]ic ! G'overhment side six members (including the member of the Executive ■ representing- the Native race, who will bold Cjibinct rank)., from the. Opposition . side lU'.c .members, myself to be Prime Minister and also to 1 take the portfolio of Defence; and 'the Hon. Mn Allen to liold tip), portfolio of Finance. WcfCannot see our Way to accept your SUggestjoii' that there should be. live numbers -from each side, without the Prime Minister possessing, a casting vote, or without the representative . of the; Maori race being allowed to exercise ( a vote./; There arc ; several it is. unnecessary 'to "ineii-~ tion at? present,-but in the-event of a ■ bye-election during the period of the National Goycjmmcnt, the practice i'ol- ■ lowed in Britain .should be followed in New Zealand] that the vacant scat to.| q., representative selected by a partytojwliicli the- former member belonged,, auilVthatOiotli parties should join iij ! ,suppling the.,candidate *o , .choscjijj-rl sincerely, -(signod) ' "W. P.^tassex."■;'^.'. : : ;? .•. .-■; V ' "•. ■■ To thep. Hon. Sir Joseph- Ward,?RC.„ ~;.'. Patliaineitt Housed,Wetlitigtoii, ■''•'.' ■'.;'.' Th| Opposition's Pink' Answer. . 'Leadlr of Office, Wei- '. ; lingto?! Mr Mas- '■ • -se,Y)—ftbeg lo acknowledge receipt oi .. of tkc 27tli iustaiit, which;! ; ■jeepiyerl House:,-:;ros<* | lask I proposals for the- ': : \ 1 : s"! 'am tin? 'business :0f c'oanjrf • : .until |ljij. ■-;■ liiit •: ■.l*>l>oilif : «; l 'iP:'wfts;^hat i : ? .^^iß^sj^Jd^for)^ • • I -v ! pavfe^ix;;;;fronfc i t|e.^ppofe

K meeting of the Opposition party held J on July 6th. It wasrejected as an uufuir propositi, seeing the parties in-.tliu House woro practically -equal in number. I. was authorised to submit to you an alternative proposal, which was unanimously agreed to, ;the full resolution of th« caucus which was duly handed to you being as "That ■ Mr Massey be informed -that the Oppo- • sitiou considers his'offer of" constituting ' a- National Cabinet with six- Govern-. ' incut members and threo Opposition" 1 members unfair-, seeing the Opposition '.- is practically equal to tlio- Government' party in point of numbers/' ' The',.Oppo- " sition is desirous of assisting,.the Go-. 1 vernment i|l war matters, and as an alternative to Mr Massey Y proposal: suggests that such assistance coultl be ' bettor rendered if the powers of: the Secret Defence Committee 'Were, cx- - tended during the war,; and in cornice- ' tiou therewith, to .enable .tlio Adminis--1 tration to more effectually deal with the present crisis." The Opposition party ; were of the opinion that the extension • of the-powers and-functions of the Secret Dcfcucc Committee so as. to cover administration would .meek.-the position, leaving the Government of the day in possession of .its'lull eonstilutionand nil responsibilities as-rcgards-'policy and administrative. Acts, apart from those coancctcd with the : war. .... ... After consideration of (his proposal, your next-'suggestion to mc 'was a National''Cabinet fixed'- upon the basis: of five Government members to four -Opposition members, the representative of the Maori race, in addition, remaining a-member, of..the Executive. A meeting of the Opposition party was duly convened by'mc and held on-July. 21st, the result being the adoption of the following resolution: "That the Oppositiou, while desirous of rendering every possible assistance in connection , with tho war, as is evidenced by the facilities, cxten'de'd to thc'Goveiiimeh't' for the passago of their legislation, finds that some of the difficulties in the ,way of the'formation-of a National Cabinet .which.. presented'.;..themselves, when the question was last consideredhave been accentuated slnec that timer We believe the "best interests of the Dominion can be served by the' Government giving effect to our previous' suggestion, itamcly, that-they, should call to their, assistance-(-without. Ministerial status) tiro; seryiccs;of the 'live' Opposit ion.. lneiuJiqivi," .p„"tliQ..- JJci'cnec Comniittecp-who'-.ar.o desirous-; and-will--ing, on: behalf "of the Opposition) to help ju Defeuce -administration; liii:.aiiy, way -,in»which- their-; services' -may" We ■ available;'.'y:-;''; *"'.';Vj'' : ' This resolution; [handed- to -yuu,.-aud your letter of the 27thVinstant/' which I; am Your latest proposal-iwiit-aineii- iii ; the letter to which I ani jcienjiig;.;sets!' out ,that a Natiojiat Cabiiiet should,comprise six nicmbcrs from -the Government party audlftvC-lrqiii thesppqsition;p!trty,''and this 'proposal us; also open-to mdsiserir • ous'pbjctloiis^ v -lu''pf ; : ; :'eonVrsatiohs y I 'iiidicated - to -you that the Reposed • National' Cabinet- if should beioi; the currency^of:tlie/war'andJfov war '»'ui]ipsfis}iiiljy-aucl^ that,; alt ; eoiir.'; tentious- legislation should be ayoided, ; with- the- pxeeption that I suggested-7r. ■'. 4he/passiug o|;..iegis|atibn;|his- ' if, pdca,i;with ■' of. jlviug,' - ;tfet". the;'lieMsia|ivl' ; v \ i#i ;i 'i ejJtio it tf ;^ r !i

1 country's sole interests from -a war • ami a liiiancial standpoint. d ,'h inust not"be forgotten Hint most iiii- ■ portant taxation proposals lire imminent 3 —taxation rendered necessary by the s War and Pensionsfcxpciiditure, and also -. .owing to the serious condition-oi! tke ' linaiices of tile Dominion. Therefore, t it is impossible for the Opposition to ; commit themselves"to the proposal for a ! National Gabiuct with a pro-existent iim- •• jority on the' Government side. Thisma- '" jority of "ohcloilld insist upon taxation 1 proposals which might be at variance '"' with the 'principles- and pledges which - the Opposition lipid, and' 'had. given; jit • to the country. On the other hand, if 1 a National Cabinet with equal rcprc; !'' sentation and equal rcsponsiliilities 1 Were, established for war and financial ' purposes'to'hold office during the cur-. - rency- of the ,war, taxation proposals • w'ottltl be considered and dealt with by • aj, non-party Cabinet, consisting of an 1 ejjiutl number from each,side of the House; This would ensure practical un-auimity-.-in. regard to taxation proposals, as' the equal division would en--1 force the need of concession on each side.- Thus the possibility of dcad--1 locks, .would, be-a voided, and the best and truest interests of Iho country would bo upheld during this time of unprecedented crisis., In - iny opinion such a Cabinet-would bo,-a step . ofthe Very greatest importance. It would be the strongest- course for either poll- ; tical.party to adopt, not only in the interests of New 'Zealand but in the interests of the Empire. I hold that neither party should under a -National Cabinet be in a position to dominate the other in matters arising out of and co'nhectod with the.war'; hut that the .Cabinet .should, be, so constituted that its members/ would unitedly support each' other. . 4n conversation, .I pointed'out to" y9U' that it would be practically certain, .were tiie; minority defeated in Cabinet in any-important question such as w;ir taxation', that they would bo 'compelled to, leave the 'Cabinet,,, and a condition even worse than now exists 'would'be'.sot-Tip. I'cannot place 'myself) o£.ask;those.-,iissociat'cd witlf 'm'e to ■place'themselves-in'a position which may lead to such a state of affairs. -' TWith reference to Paragraph 4 of your letter, youhnay remember that' J pointed put to you it would be necessary, with, a National Cabinet; that there should,be tio"contests for ,byc- : elections; and -flint if a vacancy occurred' in .the'.rallies pf ; any pf thepaVtics, the nominee, of the. particular party concerned should receive the united support of, the.. ptli.Gr parties. Such a, condition -is .naturally, essential to. any' -tiring in tlie shape of a National Ca'b- ; jifetv.J.',do..i).ot wish, to discuss at this., point-all the -clauses of .your letter ,in detail. 1 Ilegaidiug. Clause"' 2, /however, wfiich/.stipulates..that, you ..are .to, bo, Prime Minister and bold the portfolio. ofiDefeiice'a'nd that the Hon. Mr Allen kr'to hold tlie.-p.ortfolio of .'Finance,. I wish 'to saytliat I'ani.npt desirous of having a scat' Cabinet 'and. so to'you.: £&. ed'guising the gravity of the' I|was prepared ib' subordinate my per-: and Minuter' cpn&ionaL on] tlie^wjij^li^^^ al et%? an th en: ;sf|upi ;itql^hei?l^s^ s'f^^ ;tls#!^ i- OppoaiuonWJiiccfept; i uifeespbnsibijfe

/* ' , it>j ,wfth { a nunoiltj of members in | the Cabmcl holding poiltolioV which ,havo ho dncct connection eithoi with Ihe wai oi tiler financial portion of tlto cquiitn In plum tonus,, if Hid Govornmont jMity Punic Ministership | and albo the' linpoitant poitfohos of | Finance aud' Defence- It is difficult to seo why tlie assistance of the Opposi- ( tiou ia asked in a Cabinbt duujig the- wai and foi wai purposes I lcmaii) >oms siueoicly, (Signed) J G, WAHD 'I to Hight Hon \V,r Massoy, PC, J'ailianient House, Wellington i , Prune Minister's Last Letter. 1 i

Follow nig* ib the ltply sent by tin Prelum to the Leadci ot the C-ppobi tiou to ni o r lil ' 2»th July, 11)15

Jknr, isii Joseph Replying to join lcltu olio da> s dale, and lelcnmg to tin suited oi i National Cibinci, I Hi in Ji \ou mil idinil that I lu\c been hoiusll) inuous to auango ioi a sllong GoMinmciit to cam on the business ol Iho countiy during tho lui pcndd, and to enable Now Zealand to do its diit > in issibting the Lhiipiie dining i liinu of eiisis Ijnioituiidtcl), iliiliuiltits lnu iiiscn which noithoi \ou noi 1 have been able to oveicome You ictei lo nn 'hist, pioposal of si\ Oo\tnlmclit inoiiibcis and tlucc Oppo sition mcmbcis \)\ i Cabinet oi nine IS 1)1 Hlg mil in, but, Ml in is I ("111 in oiled, up to that time no substaii tial bod) ol public Opinion had gug geMoil a lqigci propoition f and it should Ih lCinombeicll that this pio posal me ml asking se\cial oi my col lcigius lo make gicat sacnhcu It mid nt asking I hem lo ictne iiom houounblo positions, and lo separate Ihemsclm iiom tho connades : luth whom tin) hid woiked ioi many i(us ] must sa>, howevei, that each mil eui\ Mimsloi cxpiesscd himself is willing to pini his lesignatiou in nn hmls, uiil ibidc lo) all) by my dc asiou You next suggest that the Op position is pint In illy equal to the do\ eminent I'uh -in point of mini lieis Thp idilm stiength ot the piitus is II to I'), but it seems to me I liu i is anolhci wi\ oi looking at llns ii iltii, in I if is tins tint if the mimbiis ol i ?\ itioiuil Cibinet chosen iion) both suks in to In in piopoition to the jtimiher. of members behind them,, they, should be in proportion to the .number, of members -lipoit the ttoveminent .side,! or upon the Opposition side who would actually support the new Administration. This I did not even propose, because from what I was given to understand I.felt certain that there was a very large, proportion of the Opposition members who would not under any' .circumstances .consent- to support.a National .Government;- but I, certainly ilid suggest/la proportion of live, to four as a way .out of the difficulty. This'-ynu au'd your party decider! that you could..not accept,., •/• 'The iicguiin)i'oiis, however, still continued,, and I'think I ii'i'u. right in say-' ing that the ii ex t ( suggestion came from yourself. It was' that there should be an equal" number of European members on each side, aiidithat-I, asErimo Minister, should possess a deliberate ami a easting vote. This I. accepted upon the understanding, that the members of the Executive representing the Native race should be requested not to oxorciso.a vote cxeqpt on jnatters directly affecting his people. At this,time, matters looked favourable, for tho formation of a .National Cabinet; b.ttt, when we met again, you withdrew this offer and I put, forward the six to five proposal,. the six members of the Cabinet to include'the Hon, Dr-,Pomaro,. who is not at preseut actually, a member ~o'f the Cablet, .b\it who is a member of : the Executive Council. This arrangement, if if had beenagrcod'tb; would. have given to tlio Opposition' five Europeau representatives in the Lower House. The Government would have had four' European ' representatives ia that Chamber, and the Hon. .Dr. Poninrc, .the Loader of the L.og'is< lativo Council retaining the position which he noiv occupies. I was.prepared' to stand by the proposal and there were hopes that matters might hnyo been satisfactorily arranged ou this' basis.. ■'

Regarding your suggestion, thut a non-party Cabinet consisting' of an equal number fronv each side of the .House would make deadlocks impossible, i regret thiit;.! airi iuiablo to concur in tlie view tliat : you have expressed. It scorns "to mb that in a Cabinet' of live'and'live, as' it result of its very composition deadlock's- woiild arise in asinucli as iipon. every' question upoii which there ivas an equal'.division no effective decisiftu%iild ; bo"' arrived at. i'urtlier, yolir proposa'l .Mrioaiit placing your party iu.prel ; iseiy tlli! same position as the Govcrn'mc'iit faiiy, which is. in tho majority, anil whilst! am anxious to avoid all -Party" conflict at present, and desire if possible ; to secure your co-operation,'Hon.sidcr'tliat i" any arrangciiicul 'e'onW' to, the Govornmcut of the day is entitled loonjoy, at any rate nominally' n T '" ; pifeppnderanco of power, i agree with you; tliat all contentious legislation should be avoided during the war period, arid there wtiuld bo no difiiciilty■ on' my; part 'so"; far as that condition' was cqnife'rricd; but tJicro is' one suggestion in your letter which I think should -not havd beeu made and which is contained; in tlie'following extract: .'.'. To ■ seriously '-suggest' a Nalional Cabiiiot' amlHlicii make"'the Stipulation's contained lit'ydui'ilettcr'-us'-to the two portfolios mentioned (Defence aud Finance)'makes it,-appear..that you and' ypiir I'arty (bMiie' alt the power and .pi'csligevrtttacli'ing.to'ii strong Govenir inent, durin'g'ra grave -wur crisis', while at the sajno-time ie'lying upon and ex-■peeling-'th.o Opposition to accept, full responsibility, with a 'minority ,of :meniberji in: tho .C'aljincti boUliiig portfolios which.' have jio.'direct witli tlie' waror. tlie .'financial position of the. country." v.". : i :, ..v

. ...When National Governments have beou formed in other couhtrios, in-"Britain for instance, the Leader of the Governmerit'.iii'.:power held the--position of Prime Minister and tlie portfolios have been allocated -by-him, probably after consultation with his colleagues; but in this country the• portfolios of DefencG .and Finance arc not by any means the only ones of importance, As a matter of fact the. legislature • has indicated by giving ai salary of'£3oo per annummore to thcMinister of'Bailways than to other Ministers-except the Prime Minister, -that it. regards the portfolio of ."Railways as, next in, importance aiHU'mbfe-Sinptfftan't""'than tho portfolios of Dcfcnco/;Aan(l.,Finance. Tliei'Ci arc -a number. ; of otlioi* important portfolios as•ypuJwo'w,,such as Post-,and; Telegraphs, j £auds,v PubJie Health, Education,; Agriculture, -Labour,' Public Works,,ote„.; ! ,rr,',miglit.. remind -yon also that Bi:itisli,National; Govei;umeiit;,.was. fojuriod., on|y, ia short ..timbv'agJßj.'. pft.-j ; intfhibcrs: of the : (1-jffcrcijyjJartics:,"ivas •twelveGoveriu'neiit and,- ninc-OpposiUoh, in-.' eluding one; for •Labour,'but'not'counting iyhV belongs.;to,neither- party, and,;is ->.-ad-...-j j initte|ly nojj:; a, politician. . : :,p' thatvjn 4ne to whal;'; jotivpia]! ; s<jriqys : of >t}ie? ■fl;!nui(ie^.. : jpf, ,tjie.;^minion.i'-t,V=I : -; : a ; m ;; | ■ kppyp^Jye;.apicyto statp^tliat,;apart;! -from s&pa£^m<}ifac:Ms : &<Sfyn-: ,'^r.a-j' jP^t^ol: :the>^^he;;^uaricia^( :P%Q^j;p|;sii^ ;B|tis|iic|^^ :nja|e^a3i|^c:er^.^ |g^usj^|^i:^|pi|^ujt^ ;isti?)i£|>e|^ 'fifty SEiiify Cu^aijihljigh^ iiiiiiiiii^Mil

\ » ' been supported in a most goncious and loyal spirit by my colleagues and bj tlio meiiibeis ot my pint} > Wliuthci my actions Iwvo liccu'iiglil 01 wliutfici tbqy have boon wioug, the people oi thp touutiy must ■judge " i 1 loiniuu, yoiiis sincol), (Signed) W T M\bSBY In npb to the Icttci uuncd In bn Joseph Waul Ijoin the Punic Almistoi, dated Jul) 28, and which was mined h) the Leailci oi the Opposition at mid night, bii Joseph Waid has sent a il ply, but it h too lito to get it on to thu iuics tonight