PARLIAMENT OFF THE AIR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23976, 17 June 1943, Page 4

PARLIAMENT OFF THE AIR

NO ADJOURNMENT TAKEN YESTERDAY WELLINGTON, June 16. Mrs A. N. Grigg (Opposition, MidCanterbury) gave the thumbs up sign, and'Oppasition members smiled broadly at the tea adjournment in the House of Representatives to-day because they had scored a neat tactical victory. The previous afternoon the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) had- objected to an earlier adjournment merely because the House was going off the air, and to-day this course was not suggested, a Government speaker intimating that proceedings would not be broadcast after 5.15 p.m. Mr H. G. Dickie (Opposition, Patea) was speaking, and when a point of order was raised, the Opposition took the opportunity to debate it for the whole time that the House was off the air. thus giving Mr Dickie his full broadcast time. The point of order was raided by the Hon. W. Nash, when Mr Dickie was speaking on the Legislative Council, and expressing doubt whether it was serving a useful purpose. Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Soldier Labour, Grey Lynn), rose to support Mr Dickie’s right to speak about a phase of Government expenditure, and the Leader of the Opposition quickly saw the opportunity to save Mr Dickie’s broadcast time, and at the same time discuss an important point of privilege. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford) was continuing the discussion when the Deputy-Leader of the House (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) interjected that Opposition members were using up Mr Dickie’s time. Mr Poison quickly appealed to Mr Speaker, who said discussion on a point of order did not come out of a member's time. “This is one time when I rise with the full approval of the Opposition, and specially that of the member for Patea,” said Mr Sullivan, when he began his remarks on the point of order. Mr W. A. Bodkin (Opposition, Central Otago) followed him, and the point had not been disposed of when the House adjourned. Mr Speaker gave his ruling immediately after the House resumed.