THE SHIP OF STATE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 68

THE SHIP OF STATE

“ BARNACLES ” AND “SCALLYWAGS.” TEE PREMIER’S POSITION. “FIGBT STILL LEFT IN ME.” The Bouse had a humorous interlude on the 29th ult. on a motion of the Premier for the suspension of the order of business to enable Supply to be taken. Mr Seddon proceeded to outline the business he proposed going on with. The Public Works Statement was, he said, in its final stages. Be intended to take the debate on the land question (originally fixed for Tuesday) after Imprest Supply had been disposed of, but Supply must take precedence. Two amendments had been given notice of in regard to the land debate, and he did not know which he would have to meet, or which one would be the no-confidence motion—the one the leader of the Opposition intended to move or that of Mr Taylor. He proposed to make the land proposals the first order of the day for Thursday. He hoped, at all events, that in what he (the Premier) was proposing, the leader of the Opposition would realise that it was due to the altered circumstances.

The leader of the Opposition said if they were to take it that the Premier to accept one of these amendments as a want-of-eonfidence motion, then they could understand the postponement of the Public Works Statement, but not otherwise. Be hoped the Premier would take the opportunity of telling the House what he proposed to do. He wanted to enter an emphatic protest against the suspension of the standing orders of the House, as proposed by the Premier. The first order paper issued to members at 8 a.m. was simply so much waste-paper, for it did not state the business of the day. If it was proposed to go into Supply, then it should be stated so on the order paper.

Mr Berries said the matter was still worse. The proof order paper gave Supply on the top, though that was not always an indication of the business. He knew perfectly well that Supply was coming ori. The corrected order paper, however, gave a different order of business altogether.

Mr Laurenson said on that occasion he was in entire accord with the leader of the Opposition. The order paper was specially designed to deceive members, because the very thing on the order paper was the very thing that would not be done. He trusted the Government would begin to realise that the patience of the House was about exhausted.

Mr James Allen pointed «ut that the Premier had been distinctly challenged that he had no policy. He never knew in the history of the colony such a proceeding. Where was the Constitutional Government? “Where are we?” he asked. “Who leads? It is a go-as-you-please, and degrading to our constitution.”

Mr Taylor asked what would be thought of the chairman of a local body who departed from the order of business placed before members? (A voice: “He would be removed.”) Yes, they would soon get rid of him The preliminary order paper was so much paltry rubbish. “ We’re all waiting for the report on the voucher, and we’re not to have it. Cabinet decided they would not allow the report to come down until the Imprest Supply Bill had been put right out of the way. They were afraid that tbe temper of the House might get out of sorts, and that it was better to get Supply before we got the land' resolutions. These are some of the reasons why. the older paper has been departed from. lam just coming to the conclusion that the Ship of State is covered with barnacles, and wants docking and cleaning up. Clipper’-built once, it is barge-like* now; its sailing qualities are defective, and its rigging is all to pieces. The fact remains that the day has come when the Ministry has got to clean up, and the operation will take place in a few weeks’ time.” The Hon W. Hall-Jones (Minister of Marine) declared that the “'Ship of State was in good sailing order. She was well found, the sea was calm, and the sky bright. “In the course of a few weeks,” he opined, “we shall go into harbour and pay off the scallywags. Many of the ship’s crew have been spoiled hy a few restless, worried, useless, helpless individuals on the ship, and we want some good hard-working fellows.” _ Mir Laurenson: Yes, men who will do as they’re told. Mr Duthie: The fact is, the Premier is now in such a humble state of mind that we should let him alone, when he accepts a vote of want of confidence in such a way, and shows he has sunk so low. The Premier: If you put Supply on top, and the first order of the day is called on, you would have been in committee upon the Estimates of the consolidated revenue. You can’t do that. Mr Massey : What did you do last month ?

The Premier: I know what I_ did last month, and the difficulty I was in. The motion now is to suspend the. orders of the day so that a certain, bill may go into Committee of sbpp.ly>

Mr Massey: Quibbling. The Premier: I must ask for a withdrawal.

The Speaker ruled the term unparliamentary, basing the decision on th® ruling of Speakers of the House of Commons. If he had to rule himself, however, he would rule differently. (Laughter.) The Premier (to the leader of th® Opposition): I hope you’ll not do it again. (Laughter.) It was well known Supply was coming on. Mr Massey: How?

The Premier: You must have read it in the “ New Zealand Times ” this morning. At all events, what we’re doing is this: It is possible to-morrow there will be other business, but Thursday we have fixed for the land debate. I feel sure that at this moment there is not a member of the House who objects to the course of business I have given. The business of the House has gone on very harmoniously. We haven’t had much friction at all. We have had very little fighting; neither party cares about it; they are evidently reserving their strength for later on. At all events, I don’t want to provoke. If you think there’s no fight left in me, you are making a mistake. I am going to fight at the right time, hut not when you like.

Mr Massey: Are you going to accept this as a want-of-confidence motion ?

The Premier: Am I sure you will move it?

Mr Massey: Yes. The Premier: Well, you might, and you might not. (Laughter.) Mr Massey: I never run away. The Premier : I’m not sure that you are not inclined to do it at once.

Mr Massey: One is a wan t~of-confi-deoe motion and the other' is not. The Premier: Your motion and tho Government proposals are the same. Mr Massey: I hope you’ll give me an opportunity to contradict it. Mr J. Allen: Will you vote for it? The Premier: This is a “coincidence,” as the member for Wellington would say. He could not pass unnoticed the remarks of the member for Christchurch, which were very effectively replied to by his colleague, the Minister for Public Works. There was an animal that squealed before it was scraped Mr Taylor: I have heard you squeal more than once.

The Premier: He knows what’s coming, and is squealing before he gets scraped. The Auditor-General’s report is not completed, and when it is submitted to the House in due course there will be no one more sorry than the member for Christchurch, Mr Taylor—then he will squeal. (Laughter.) It seems to me that Imprest Supply Bills are simply to be made the material for baiting Ministers. There was a time when an Imprest Supply Bill would he through in as much time as it has taken to discuss this matter. There is a degeneracy and falling-off, and for that falling-off the leader of the Opposition is responsible. Now, he ought to set his foot down, for the time may come when he will be Colonial Treasurer, and he should say, “I won’t be a party to baiting the present Treasurer, because the positions may be reversed.” Then he will know what will happen. If I am here next year Hon members: “If,” “If.” The Premier: I am pretty sure I shall be here.

Mr Massey: You will be on this seat. (Laughter.) The Premier: Then, if I am, I shall grace it much better than the hon. gentleman has ever done. (Laughter.) But what you are driving the Government to do will he to bring down one Imprest Supply Bill for three months, and carry it through. Mr Massey: Perhaps, if the House would agree to it. The Premier: A party that values its own honour, the honour of the country, and the conduct of the business of the House on proper lines will carry a three months’ Supply Bill, and that would be much better, even though it took three days to do it, than to have what is happening now : —this bickering and wilful waste of time. I am not going on with the land question until we have flhe Imprest Supply Bill through. There is another matter that will have to be dealt with, as to-mor-row is the last day of the month, and unless a Continuance Act is passed there will be serious difficulty. Hon members: What is it? The Premier: Well, I will tell you. It is an act for the continuance of the Maori Land Councils. Mr Taylor: Let them go. The Premier: The Native Minister called my attention to it this morning. That will take to-morrow. 'Mr Massey divided the House on the motion to suspend the standing-orders to enable the Premier to go on with Imprest Supply. The Opposition was defeated by 40 votes to 25.