NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14926, 26 February 1912, Page 8

NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE.

TO BE RESUMED TO-NIGHT.

SOME VOTES STILL IN DOUBT. AN ELECTION POSSIBLE. TROUBLES OF THE WARD PARTY. [fU* TKLEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Sunday. The no-confidence debate has been ad- | journed till Monday night. When the I privilege debate closed at 12.45 on Saturday morning the Prime Minister proposed i an adjournment of the no-confidence debate over the week-end. This brought Mr. W. H. Hindmarsh, Labour member for Wellington South to his feet. He urged tho Leader' of the Opposition to oppose the adjournment, and promised to assist him if he endeavoured to compel the House to resume the discussion of the -confidence motion. He declared that there was a grave risk that further delay would give opportunity for the creation of a fictitious public opinion in I the Wanganui and the Otaki electorates that might pcssibly mislead his colleagues,, Messrs. Veitch and Robertson. From his I experience lie knew that a union would i readily acquiesce in. a proposition subj mitted to it without considering the effect of its resolution. Sir Joseph Ward said every member had a right to speak Mr. Hindmarsh: I am perfectly aware oi that; they can go on speaking to-night. Sir Joseph Ward: Then we shall sit here till midnight to-morrow. Mr. Hindmarsh: It has been done before; done by you often enough. (Laughter.) The Prime Minister replied that if a vote was taktn on Monday or Tuesday the debate would be finished in 10 days, and he did not know of any important no-confidence debate completed in thattime. Mr. Massey: Oh, yes. Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central): The House of Commons started one after we started this one, and finished it the day before yesterday. Mr. * Wilson (Taumarunui) protested against time being wasted, and his remarks were endorsed by the Leader of the Opposition, who declared that there had been an abominable waste of time in connection with the debate. He had never before seen such a. wilful was,te of time. The Prime Minister: Let us go on tonight. Ministerialists: No, no. 'Mr. 1). Buick (Palmerston) said there was a gross waste of time on Thursday, no one could deny it. Finally it was;" agreed that the debate should be resumed 'at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, and the House rose at 1.15 a.m. "The position with regard to the noconfidence motion is still uncertain. It is generally presumed that Mr. Atmore will "vote against the present Government, but it seems likely that Mr. Robertson will vote on the side of the Government. Mr. Veitch is in Wanganui, and has consulted his committee. Lite Government party is now a house very much divided against itself, and there will be no end of trouble about the appointment of a leader after Sir Joseph Ward's promised resignation has been handed in. The party may bo unable to agree on the point, so it is quito on the I I cards that Sir Joseph. Ward may yet be ', asked to lead the party. 1 The possibility of another general eleci ion is being freely discussed. Some exI perienced Parliamentarians who have given { the matter consideration are of opinion ! that in the event of the no-confidence motion being defeated an election will follow. A member of Mr. Wilford's election , committee, at Petone. makes known through the Post that it was not by a unanimous decision of that committee that representations were made to Mr. Veitch's Wanganui committee, further that . no general meeting of Mr. Wilford's commit- , tee was held at all. 60 far as he is aware. | MR. VEITCirS TOTE. ITO GO WITH MR. MASSEY. [EY TELEGRAPH.— PRF.Sr association.] Waxganui, Sunday. The Chronicle learns from an authoritaI tive source that the rumour that Mr. { Veitch is likely to break his election pledge , '■ is quite unfounded. ! J Mr. Veitch returned to Wanganui on I Saturday specially to meet his committee. 1 He arrived by the nine p.m. train, and proceeded at once to the meeting, which ' was largely attended. 1 The Chronicle says the interest in the 1 meeting was enhanced by the fact that j during the forenoon the chairman of Mr. Veitch's committee received a telegram { from a, member of the Wanganui Labour - party at present in Wellington strongly urging that Mr. Yeitch be given a free hand with regard ,to the no-confidence 1 motion now before the House. This was 1 interpreted to mean ha' Mr. Veitch should • be free to vote for, instead of against, 1 the Ward Administration, and prominent " members of his committee received the 15 suggestion with unqualified disapproval. So far as they were concerned they said e there was to be no breaking, of pledges, a and they did not believe for a moment t that Mr. Veitch himself would think of a going back on his word. a Steps were taken to ensure a large atii tendance at the meeting. The proceedings were not open to the press, but the Chronicle is informed that the greatest unanimity prevailed, that Mr. Veitch made it clear that ho had no intention of break- • ing his pledge, and that the meeting terminated with a clear and unanimous understanding that he would vote for Mr. . Massey's amendment to the Address-in- , Reply, , and that once that vote had been t given lie should be free to vote as he conf sidered best on any other question that may arise. I "PAYNE, THE WORM." 1 1 8 NOT TURNED, BUT WRIGGLING. The Hawke's Bay Tribune publishes teler grams exchanged by Mr. Payne, M.P., a with Mr. Crowley, who was Reform can- - didate for the Napier seat. When Mr. , Crowley retired in favour of Mr. Hill, the Labour" candidate, Mr. Payne telegraphed ' as follows :— "Crowley, Oppositionist, , Napier,—Con- " gratulations on your broadminded action s in stepping down in favour of Inspector - Hill. Labour and Opposition have comer mon interests in clean administration and sane finance. John Payne, Labour candidate, Grey Lynn." Following upon the development in the r no-confidence debate, Mr. Crowley tele- - graphed to Mr. Payne on Friday:—"You _' have proved the truth of the old quotation, v that 'even a worm will turn.' " 1 Mr. Payne's answer was received in the following words: —"Your wire reminds ' me of a comedian I once heard, who sang a song which ridiculed old sayings. Be--9 low I give you the lines he used in reviewing the adage quoted in your wire, ' Even a worm will turn.' The comedian sang— That even a worm will turn, 'tis said. An absurdity as you will soon learn ' If the worm gets under a hobnailed boot ' Now how's the poor worm going to turn"? t "Yours, with a wriggle on.—Payne, the . worm." Mr. Crowley immediately replied :— ■« " Could, understand you * turning if o squeezed by Farmer Bill's hobnails, but i why wriggle, under the dainty hoof of the ' gingerbread aristocracy.?,' ii