FEDERAL HOUSE SCENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15949, 21 June 1915, Page 6

FEDERAL HOUSE SCENE.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION, VICTORY FOR GOVERNMENT. A MEMBER EJECTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, June 19. The discussion in the Federal House of Representatives upon no-confidence motion moved last evening by Mr. Joseph Cook, Leader of the Opposition, resulted in the amendment being negatived by 30 to 2f. The closure was applied during the introductory -stages of ti.e discussion. Tho closure w: s Lgain applied to Mr. Coo* en the motion for adjournment, amidst great excitement-

During the debate Mr. Foster, member for Wakefield, South Australia, was suspended, and later he was ejected from the strangers' gallery. Mr. Cook characterised the sitting as the most disgraceful proceedings in the history of Parliament.

Mr. McGrath, of Ballarat, in conjunction with Mr. Anstey, Labour member for Bourke, has forwarded his resignation.

Upon the introduction of the first Referendum Bill on Friday, .Mr Joseph Cook, Leader of the Opposition, m.ned to add as an amendment the words. " As soon as provision is made by a unity Government and Parliament for the successful prosecution of the war." He deprecated the continual of party strife during th< greatest crisis in the Empire's history, and said that an unfair attempt to amend the Constitution was being made whilst 60,000 citizens were fighting and unable to vote. The Prime Minister. Mr. Fisher, announced that he accepted the amendment as a motion of want of confidence in the Government.