POLITICAL SITUATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20113, 26 November 1928, Page 10

POLITICAL SITUATION.

WHEN THE HOUSE MEETS. TURNING OUT A GOVERNMENT HOW DECISION IS REACHED. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE. When Parliament meets nc.\t week to decide tho fate of< tho Government, the procedure may be expected to follow wellordered lines prescribed by precedent. The opening ceremony will bo tb;jt of any first session of a new Parliament. Members of the House of Representatives will be summoned to tho Legislative Council, wliero a. commission will announce tho opening of tho session, and convoy to them tho desjre of the Governor-General that they should appoint a Speaker. On returning lo their own chamber, the members will l>e sworn in, a ceremony that will take only a few apd nominations will bo called by the clerk for tin appointment of Speaker. Tho election of tho Speaker is tho first timo tho members vote. An adversp vote against a Government nomineo for the position on some occasions lias hepn treated as one of no-confidence, apcl the fato of the Administration has ! )Ce n decided on tho first day of tho sossioq, However, there aro no grounds at, present for suggesting this will happen next week. Upon tho election of the and alsq tho Chairman of Committees, the House ,adjourns untjl tho next dsy, the Speaker, attended by his proposer and secpndor, in tho meantime presenting him: sejf to tlie Covernor-Gcnpral, tflio latef signifies his approval of their chqico to tho members. The Address-in-Reply. The opening of Parliament by tho Governor-Gcperal takes place on tho day after the assembling of the members qnd their election of a Speaker. Under circumstances like those of tho present occasion, it is customary for the Govprnor; General in his speech to make reference to tho fact that Parliament has been convened at an earlier date than usual in consequence of the results of tho election. According as he has been advised by the Administration in power, the GovernorGeneral may or may not outlino a programme of legislation to be considered by tho members. Such a programme was included in the Speech when Parliament was convened in February, 1912, following tho election of the previous year.

It is when the members of the House pf Representatives arc once moro assembled in their own chamber following tho delivery of tho Governor-General's speech that the way is cleared for the test of strength between tho parties. A member on the Government side >vill give notice of his intention to move that a respectful Address-in-Rpply be presented to the Governor-General, and, as Leader of the Opposition, it may be taken that Sir Joseph Ward will give notice of an amendment. When the debate wi)| be commenced is a matfer for tho Government to decicje, but, since tl|c fate of the Government is tho prime business of the session, it is likely that no time will bp lost, and that it wi]l be started the next day, Thursday, at tho latest. No-Confidence Amendment. The mover and seconder of the motion speak first, and then comes tho turn of the Leader of the Opposition, who, in his amendment and speech, sets out the grounds on which it is asserted the G|pv: eminent clocs not possess the confidencp of the House.

How long the debate continues depends on the members. Each is entitled under the Standing Orders to speak for an hour. It can be taken that the Prime Minister or 0110 of his Ministers will reply to the Leader of the Opposition, and there is no reason why the debate cannpt be terminated at that point and the division on the amendment taken. The fate of the Government is decided by this division. Should the vote bo an adverse one. as is expected 011 this occasion, the Prime Minister is entitled to ask for nine, generally until the following day, to consider the position. The Address in-Reply, embodying thp decision of tlio llouse that the tjovernmcnt docs not possess its confidence, prepared by a committee of tlie successful Opposition and after being approved i>y thp House, is conveyed to the (gover-nor-General by the Speaker and the ii}pvcr arid seconder. Jll acknowledging the address, the Governor-General intimates to tho House that ho will take the necessary stops to apppint advisers who ppssess the cpnfidciice of l'lirliampnt. Tendering 0! Resignation.

When a, Government has been defeated and there is no possibility of a rp-arrange-inenl being made that would give it, tho confidence of tho Legislature, the Prime Minister tenders his resignation, which carries with it that of his Ministers, to the Governor-General, who is advised to send for the Leader of the Opposition, who may or may not accept tho task of forming a Ministry. Advice of tho resignation and of the acceptance of t|io responsibility of appointing a Cabinet is conveyed by tho retiring Prime Minister to thp Houso at its next sitting. This is the last occasion 011 which tho defeated Ministry occupies the Treasury benches in tlio House, but it remains in office until tho new Cabinet is sworn in by tho GovernorGeneral, tho House standing adjourned until the new Prime Minister is ready to announce to tho members tho composition of his Ministry. When tho Uefprm Party defeated the Liberal Party under the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, Mr. Masscy was ready to mee|- the I}puso within a few days, and lie did >so as Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie's followers having retired to tho Opposition benches. The handing over of dopart ments is arranged by the incoming and outgoing Ministers. Adjournment pf the Hoi^se.

A new l'limo Minister is entjtjeij to ijsk for time ill which tp prepare hiy'programme of legislation if the Jlouse is to continue in session or to movo an adjournment which would mean the prorogation of Parliament- His motion tljfit the House adjourn provides the new official Opposition or any other party or private member with an opportunity if such is desired of putting tjjo new Government tp the test.

The Speaker puts the formal cjuestion, "That this House do now adjourn," and looks to the Leader of the Opposition. If lip makes.no move tp rise, tj|e {Sneaker'f; glanco moves to the leadpf of (Lno next party, and should' ho likowjso givo no intimation of his party's-intention to contest the motion tlio Speaker looks rpuud the remainder of the Hpuso to see if any private member wishes to take advantage of the opportunity. Shouhl np pub desire to do so, tho motion is put to tho House and carried and tho now Administration is safo for tho time being. 11l I9ia, Mr. Masscy pbtajned on pt) journment for three weeks and then carrjed on the business of tho events during tlio next week or so follow their expected courso and Sir Joseph Ward forms a Ministry, it is suggested ho will ask that Parliament rise jintjJ about tho midijlfi pf next year jind thjit a new sossjou will t|ien bo commenced with tho usual procedure.