MINISTRY AND CAUCUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15501, 7 January 1914, Page 12

MINISTRY AND CAUCUS.

MR. HOLMAf) FLOUTED.

ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE

CAUCUS SELECTS SPEAKER.

TrtE Now South Wales Ministry, which was returned to power at, the recent general election, has had its first blush with the Labour Party caucus, and the result, was described in an entertaining wav by the Sydney Morning Herald. The conference, between the Ministry and the caucus tool; place on December 23, and reunited in a win for the caucus. It was rather an unhappy beginning (says the Hei.ii ! ami is viewed as an ill omen in Ministerial circles. Never before in the hi'toiv oi the Labour Party in this Stale has the absolute power of the caucus been so clearly «1 ( tnonslrated. Never before ha- can. is been mi conscious of its power. With lie ah- line command of at least 50 votes in a House of 90, caucus, a a body, knew that it could do just what it pleased, and II decided to sharpen its teeth on tho Labour Ministry. U::e iiieniher hi the caucus summed up 'lie petition succinctly when he i. 111.0 —"We have shown them that we . ,im make ami unmake Ministries." Ihe actual result of the meeting was ili.i'.n (a,, most importiiiit matters —the selection of .i Speaker and the reconstruction <.f the I'iibt'i-1 -Ministers were openly dt'tiid. and lot.od to surrender. Choosinj a Speaker.

f".i.'i>. in. i .it (-li riY]i>ok sharp, and conn i lis .ii'.'.mus i: s hl up to the lick >i| n-"Hi lh" immediate business on ham! v.,1... 'ho Srf-h-itiiui "f » Speaker for the 1.. .i:';.ii AsMiiitly. iv-nx members v..,,- (.i nt. ll'.' l'r.'mi.'i (Mi. Hulnian) from the cliau '.laitcil pnKC«»<liiigs ly indicating iii.ii tliu Ministry u..ln'<l to nominate Mr. II 11 Morton' for ro election to the !"i|H>akershi|>. The fiovemment, said Mr. llolm.iu, was ili'liniti'ly pledged to Mr. Morton, the pledge having been given when there was seiious doubt about the I'.ii.y having a winking majority in the Hoii,«e. In reply to an immediate outhurst of d'ssem/Mr. Holnian pleaded with can. ns to honour the pledire given to Mr. Moil,m, whose \irtues, and whose valued as. r .'.f'..tnro to the party during its turbulent career throughout the last Parliarnenl he extolled. F.;u !' of the other six Ministers followed their chief. Every one of limn argued, p. ..hied, and pleaded in turns, that the 1... e of the Ministry should be saved. " We shall bei brands! for all eternity," said one, "as unreliable, if we now in our hour of triumph f-ast off the man to whom so much of our present position is due." A Stonewall.

Bui Ministers were arguing against a stonewall "It is an insult to the caui us." declared one member, 'th.it we should be asked even to vole on the (joesmii of an outsider's claim to recognition lit, ail." Th-Mi Mr. Stuart-Robertson brought matters- to a head by nominating Mr Meagher as the party'* choice for Speaker. ' He said very 'little, but he < uididly admitted (hat he would not entertain the idea of offering bo valuable a portion of the spoil? of victory to an outsider The nomination was greeted with a chorus of "Hear, hears." It was at orun apparent that the canvass for Mr. Meagher hid received heavy (support. Mr McOirr took up the cudgels for Mr. Meagher. He challenged Ministers to press Mr Motion's nam- to a ballot. They were not forgetful of the. splendid fight put up by Mr. Holman and Ministers generally, ho said, but they were at the tamo time prepared to claim for each member of the party a share in the victory at the noils lie urged Ministers to withdraw Mr Morton's nomination altogether. They had he said, discharged their obligation to that gentleman In- supporting him so strongly in the caucus meeting. Labour was strong enough to have its own Speaker. At. this stage it became evident that the new members of the party wore strongly inclined to follow Mr. Holman. With the exception of Mr. Jabez Wright, of Broken Hill, they urged the Premier's claims for the, recognition of his pledge to Mr. Morton. But the idea of spoils to the victors was too strong. After some further debate Mr. Holman said he would ask for a vote as to whether or not Mr. Morton's name should go to a ballot. The question was resolved in the negative on the voices.

Mr, McGowen Proposed. There was still some fight left in the Ministers, however. Mr. Dooley (Hartley), nominated Mr. McGowen " for the Speakership. " What about Mr. MeGowon's retirement?" Mr. Boston asked, and Mr. McGowen wisely rose from his seat, contented himself by intimating that he would accept the position, if fleeted, and retired from the meeting. Then followed a stubborn debate of a personal and acrimonious nature. The supporters of Mr. Meagher wanted to know what qualifications the ex-Premier had for such a post, and Mr. McGowen's friends retorted that his unblemished public and private record of more than a quarter of a century in Parliament was the highest credential any man could offer his party as a candidate for a position of such honour and importance. The Ministers all supported Mr. McGowen. It would, they said, be an honourable and fitting close to long years of selfsacrificing effort, and a worthy recognition of his voluntary effacement from Ministerial office, to make way for a younger man. Ministers Lose.

The debate closed in a spirit of much terseness. It would have continued much longer, but that the hands of the clock were creeping towards the hour of noon, when members were required in the Legislative Council for the opening of Parliament. Ballot papers were passed round, scrutineers were appointed, and members busied themselves with voting. It was a close contest. Mr. Holman announced the voting: Meagher 24, McGowen 20, and the tenseness broke, when Mr. Meagher was called upon to receive the congratulations of his friends. It was the new caucus's first decisive id.u : i ,MtnV,ei'o, and caucus had won. Aecou';ruction Probable. One thing is certain, and that is that the new caucus will insist upon the exercise of its power to choose the. person nel or the new (Ministry, lock, stock, and barn-!. There wni no time at the meeting to discuss and decide upon the nutter Hut it is an open secret that tim Piemier, Mr. Holmuu, intimated to the party that the desire of himself and Ins Ministerial colleagues was that can ens should content, itself with nominating whatever number of new Ministers would lio required, and that caucus inti mated quite plainly, in reply, that all would have to go into the melting pot, just as at the original selection of Labour Ministers. The Premier will he given Authority to place his men as he chooses, but caucus will insist upon choosing all the men.