GOVERNMENT WHIP MAKES STATEMENT ABOUT PAIRS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18575, 25 September 1928, Page 10

GOVERNMENT WHIP MAKES STATEMENT ABOUT PAIRS.

MR NOSWORTHY DID NOT WISH TO RECORD VOTE ON THIRD READING. Per Press Association. '^ir WELLINGTON, September 25. In connection with the questions of; pairs in respect of the divisions in the House of Representatives when the Licensing Bill was in committee, the following statement was made to-day by the senior Government whip (Mr j. S. Dickson). “As affecting the Hon W. Nosworthy,” said Mr Dickson, “ the Minister sent for me just 'before leaving Wellington, and intimated to me his desire to be paired if possible on the three main issues contained in the Bill of last session, namely, Clauses, 2, 3 and 4, and marked a copy of the Bill indicating that he was against an extension of time between licensing polls, and that he was in favour of a two-issue ballot paper and the bare majority. At the same time, I asked Mr Nosworthy if he desired to be paired on the third reading of this year’s Bill. He replied definitely that he did not wish to be paired on the third reading. “ In the course of further conversation, Mr Nosworthy, at my request, said that he would communicate his wishes in writing direct to the Prime Minister before leaving Auckland regarding the pairs he had arranged with myself. “ When the Bill was in committee a pair was accordingly arranged with Mr T. W. Rhodes, the member for Thames, in respect of clauses 3 and 4, but in regard to clause 2, dealing with the frequency of polls, I found it was impossible to arrange a pair, and as both last session and this year this clause was negatived by a very large majority this issue was not affected. I may say that in regard to Mr Rhodes I was not approached by any member of the House to arrange a pair with him and the member for Thames, thus being free, I intimated to the Prime Minister that I had accordingly paired Mr Nosworthy in respect of clauses 3 and 4. “In connection with the member for Manukau (Mr Jordan),” said Mr Dickson, “he interviewed me before leaving the Dominion and left written instructions as to his desires in the matter of pairs during his absence. These questions were the Bible in Schools, daylight saving and no-confi-rjence motions. He also intimated that he did not desire to pair on the Licensing Bill,” “ As a matter of fact,” concluded Mr Dickson, “it is well known that the Hon W. Nosworthy is in favour of the bare majority, while Mr Rhodes is opposed to it. , Consequently, although their votes were qot recorded on thethird reading, by pair or otherwise, it could not possibly have affected the result.” ____________