POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21411, 1 March 1935, Page 12

POLITICAL NOTES

O . [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, February 23. First Closure of Session The first closure of the session was applied by the Government in the House of Representatives to-day during the debate on the Mortgage Corporation of New Zealand Bill.

When the House assembled in the afternoon the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) moved for urgency for the passage of the bill, explaining that in view of the full discussion in the early stages the Government considered it should make reasonable progress during the committee debate. The most controversial clause in the bill—that relating to the allotment of £500,000 worth of corporation shares to private shareholders—was discussed for several hours, and eventually the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) moved that the question should be put. Little opposition was expressed, and the motion was carried by 33 votes to 26.

When the clause dealing with the original capital was put to the vote three Government members voted with the Opposition—Messrs W. J. Poison, J. Connolly, and A. E. Jull. Mr R. A. Wright, who expressed his approval of the principle of shareholder capital, was the only Independent member to enter the Government lobby. The division was fairly close, the Government having 32 votes to 27. The discussion in the House today centred more or less on this point, Labour members urging State control of the corporation, and Mr Poison and Mr Jull opposing the introduction of shareholder capital into the control of such an important organisation. Minister as "Horseman" "The Minister is now riding the worst horse he has ridden in his life, and he has ridden some bad ones," said Mr A. M. Samuel (Ind., Thames) in the House of Representatives to-night in the debate on the Mortgage Corporation Bill. "He has said he can ride bareback. I say he can ride roughshod as well." Mixed Metaphor Ordinary combinations of words are apparently not expressive enough for opponents of the Mortgage Corporation Bill in the House of Representatives; but mixed metaphor has certainly added to the entertainment of the debate. The leader of the Opposition (Mr M. J. Savage) impressed on the House tonight that the £1,000,000 capital of the corporation would be a mere pebble in the ocean; but he was assured by the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) that it would be " a fairly hefty pebble." Mr W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central) accused the Minister of precipitancy by saying that the Government had rolled up its sleeves and waded in, and another

member, referring to the introduction of private capital into State institutions, feared that the "private shareholders with one peanut were going to be the bell-wether of the Mortgage Corporation." Mr Samuel was most expressive when he prophesied that the "army of private investors at the would be wanting to suck the life-blood of the farmers." "Inexorable Ban" Relaxation of the ban on Public Service applicants who have been found guilty of some offence against the law was sought by Mr Clyde Carr (Lab., Timaru) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Carr gave notice to ask the Minister in charge of the Public Service whether he would provide for the exercise of some discrimination in this "inexorable ban." He said that unless the restriction were somewhat relaxed the service would continue to be closed to many efficient, suitable, and otherwise eligible candidates who suffered hardship and perpetual stigma, with little encouragement in their efforts to reform.