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Wednesday, 22 October 1913

Senator DE LARGIE (Western Australia) . - I do not intend to oppose the motion. As a matter of fact, I have just been doing a good turn for the Government by going round and telling my colleagues that we would have to supply an absolute majority of the Senate, as they have not sufficient on their side to suspend the Standing Orders. I felt some umbrage at the request of Senator McGregor. When he spoke to me I said, " What! To put up a majority for a Government who have been crying out in the country about the unreasonable opposition which the Labour party are offering them seems rather a curious request to make."

Senator ALBERT GOULD (NEW SOUTH WALES) -Colonel Sir AlbertGould. - It was a novel position.

Senator DE LARGIE - Yes. I felt as though I was being made a whip for the Government who have been whipping the Opposition before the public.

Senator Rae - They have nobody to whip.'

Senator DE LARGIE - They have a whip, but nothing to whip.

Senator Millen - I guarantee that you have often wished that you were in that position.

Senator DE LARGIE - I never had to use the whip, because a gentle remark to my honorable colleagues was sufficient to get them to comply with a request of Senator McGregor. I think it is our duty to give the Government an opportunity to do something, because it is nearly time that something was being done. If it requires a suspension of the Standing Orders to drag the Government out of the dilemma into which they got by proclaiming the repealing Acts before the time was ripe, it ought to be done. I hope that honorable senators on this side will remain, so as to make the absolute majority required to secure a suspension of the rules without notice, and thus enable the Government to bring on this one little pet lamb.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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