THE COUNTRY QUOTA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 22, 9 November 1945, Page 5

THE COUNTRY QUOTA

PASSING OF BILL OPPOSITION'S DETERMINED RIGHT

Taking full advantage of the pro. cedure of Parliament, the Opposition put up a determined fight over the Electoral Amendment Bill, which abolishes the country quota and alters the suffrage from total population to adult population, but the Bill was passed through all stages in the early hours of the morning of Saturday November 3. In addition to contesting the introduction of the Bill —an unusual procedure — the Opposition fought all stages, and the Bill was passed only after there had' been three applications of the closure and 3-1 The second reading debate was commenced on Wednesday night, and the House sat until 2.20 o'clock, Thursday morning. The debate was resumed on Thursday aiternoon, and continued till 1.45 o'clock, Friday morning. The Committee stage was begun at 10.MO a.m., Friday, and the House sat. continually until 3.28! o'clock on Saturday morning, when the Bill was passed. Amendments were moved by the Opposition, hut they were all lost, the voting being generally 3<> to 34. There were many heated passages. \\ ith the exception of a few machinery provisions, every clause was challenged by the Opposition. The third reading was passed by 40 votes to 34 and the Bill was finally passed by the same margin.

resolution carried

At a well attended meeting of the Rangitaiki Branch of the Labour Party the following resolution was carried unanimously:—

"That thi.s meeting wholeheartedly; supports the Bill introduced by the Government to wipe from the Statute Book the Country Quota. That this meeting affirms the Quota is undemocratic giving to rural electorates a privilege vote over urban elector, ales. True democracy stands l'or one vote one value."