BLOCKING SUPPLY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1248, 4 October 1911, Page 4

BLOCKING SUPPLY.

k ♦ 0 ti AN ATTEMPT THAT PELL FLAT. a On two occasions now the House has e witnessed tlio amusing spectacle of Govj eminent blocking tneir own Supply. !- This is, of course, an old political trick, 1 frequently used by a Government that o is afraid of a genuine amendment from o the Opposition. The man who gets in first with an amendment, however frivolous or -unimportant it may be, prevents tho moving of any other amendment. Yesterday, when Sir James Carroll moved to go into Committeo of Supply, Mr. Herutnan and Mr. Iked woro promptly on their feet ,to intercept Supply. Ifr. Hordinan got his "Sir" in first, but Mr. . lteed "caught the Speaker's eye," and > moved: "That the time has now arrived . for tho installation of submarine 6ound . signals on tho coast of tho Dominion." ; Mr. Peed innocently launched out into , a disquisition about bell-buoys and such tiko signals, in which ho said his con- : stituency was interested. "Who seconds tho amendment?" queried the Speaker. "I do," said Mr. Forbes, another Government supporter. Tho Hon. J. A. Millar then made a brief reply to Mr. Heed. The Opposition, however, refused to waste time over such an amendment, and declined to debate tho question. It was put and lost on tho voices, Mr. Reed not even calling for a division on his own amendment. The Government, however, had fallen into their own trap, for tho Opposition members, having utterly ignored Mr. Reed's amendment, lvero still at liberty to speak to tho main question. Mr. James Allen rose to oomplain about tho absenco of papers that, according to law, should have been laid on tho tablo of tho Houso some time ago. when Mr. Millar got up and urged that Mr. Allen was out of order in continuing the debate. The Speaker ruled against him. Ifr. Allen, ho said, was quite in order, ho not having spoken to (tho amendment. Mr. Hprrics: Crushed again! Mr. Wright followed Mr. Allen with a question about telephone ehanres. This brought Mr. Roderick M'Konzio to his feet with another point of order. Mr. Speaker ruled against Mr. M'Kcnzio amid Opposition laughter. Mr Herries (to Mr. Roderick MlCenzio): Go and learn the Standing Orders. The Hon. R. MTCenzie replied thnt he understood them thoroughly. He maintained that there could be no discussion now. Mr. Speaker said if the hon. member would only look up the debates s ho would find that there could bo discussion. It had been allowed for the ln.st fortv ven.rs Following this, Mr. Wright had his little sav. Ifr. Lang added a few words, and the House got into Committee on tho Estimates. Mr. Reed's little ruse had fallen very flat.