"MAKE WAY!"

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 323, 9 October 1908, Page 7

"MAKE WAY!"

• LOCAL BILLS DAY. On " Local Bills Day " the House of Representatives is virtually handed over to the private members. Yesterday, in tho House, was Local Bills Day. The list that faced members at 10 o'clock in the morning was 23 strong,: and the: time-limit allotted to place this quantity of legislation on tho Statute Book was three hours. Tho pace went a cracker from tho word " Go." First of all, the Bills had to be read a second time; then committed; each, had then to be read clause by clause in. Comand, finally, each had to be read a third time. Previous to coming before the House, however, they had been dissected and discussed, and headed and tailed by the Local Bills Committee. The troublo was, however, and the danger, too, that amendjnonts would be inserted in Committeo of tho House, "which are contrary to the recomimendations of tho Local Bills Committee, and which; would not be understood or receivo due! consideration. In this wiy damage or injustice could bo done to a locality affected by such primsions. As each Bill was called on in Committee, the member in charge took his seat at the table, and away bowled the chairman through the clauses. _ If a measure was likely to evoko debate it was postponed till tho end, of the list, so that others should not be "hung up." Eacli local Bill is of vital importance to a particular locality, and the member in charge knows the trouncing he will get from his constituents if his measure is not "put through." Has he not already received shelves of letters and telegrams on the subieot?. . Therefore each member with a Bill to pass sat nervously watching the hands of tho clock, and casting apprehensive and reproachful glances when a member rose to speak on a clause or ask for explanations, or do anything to obstruct the pace. .Twenty-two of the twent.v-three measures were oswd durine the day, hut not in the time limit, for the Prime Minister bail 'allowed' the hinds of the clock to gn round past the stated hour of 3 p.m.—to 6 o'clock.