THE PARLIAMENTARY LINE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9307, 6 August 1908, Page 1

THE PARLIAMENTARY LINE.

INTERESTING DIVISIONS. (Fkom Oxjr Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 5. The discussion that arose to-night in connection with Mr H. G. Ell's Town Districts Bill was of some importance from the parliamentary standpoint. There has been much talk 'of coalition of late, and ,while the Prime Minister has denied iri definite fashion that any scheme for the uniting of the Government and Opposition parties had received his countenance, people have been pointing to the fact that the announced programme of the Government could be supported practically in its entirety by Mr Massey and his followers The line of party cleavage was made clear to-night, however, and there i<= reason to believe that what occurred was not unpremeditated. Clause 4of the Bill proposed to abolish plural voting in town districts, but at Clause 3 the Prime Minister moved an amendment having the same effect. Mr Massey and his followers opposed this proposal to widen the local Governmen 4 franchise in the forty town districts of New Zealand, and some straight-oui party divisions resulted. The strength of the party that stood for the right" of property, composed of Mr Massey' and .'his'' followers, was sixteen.