BATTLE IN COMMITTEE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1550, 20 September 1912, Page 6

BATTLE IN COMMITTEE.

, THE OLD REGIME AND THE NEW. POLITICAL PULL DISCUSSED. POSITION OF POST & TELEGRAPH EMPLOYEES v AN OBSTRUCTIVE OPPOSITION.

For ■-all-but a very'short'space of its sitting ' hours' yesterday the ' House of Representatives was in Committee on the Public Service Bill. Formal business occupied only one hour and a half.

The business to give rise to any discussion, was a statement made by tho Hon. A. L. Herdman concerning tho Public Trust Office. .

The i House went 'into Committee upon the -Public Service Bill at 4 p.m., and entered "iipon the second act" of by far the keenest party struggles that has taken place this session. Messrs. Davey, Witty, lsitt, aud other Oppositionists persistently held up the Bill on:the plea that many branches of the Post, and Telegraph Department (the number was not definitely specified) • were totally opposed to the inclusion of their Department in the uniform classification provided ;by the Bill. Mr. Davey : and other ./members .alleged that the Minister had put pressure upon the officers , of the Post aud Telegraph Department; Mr. Herdman denied the correctness of the charge, and during the evening. stated that the letter from the. Executive' Council of the Post and Telegraph -Association^(expressing'approval of. tho Bill) 'which he had tho House on the previous evening, had not been withdrawn. . •

The stream of < hostile talk-from t.ho Opposition benches continued/' with slight interruption, until lat'e. in' the' evening. Government members mostly held their peace, but at intervals the' Prime Minister or one of "his colleagues gave vigorous expression -to . tile determination of the Government to carry the Bill through.

It was not until .11.20 p.m. that a division was-taken. . .Thai House .then .negatived by 36 votes to 20 a proposal by Mr; Davey to'excludo the Post .and Tele-;' graph Department from the operation of the Bill. .

Afterwards fairly, rapid progress was made.- Several' amendments proposed by tho Minister'were; incorporated. 'in the Bill, and a number of-hostile amendments were defeated. •

Smooth and 'progress was 'maintainedyintir Clause. 33 had been reached and . approved.. ( The Minister then moved to report progress. ' The Marriage Amendment Bill was rc,cei.ved.'from.'the Legislative Council, and read a first time.. ....... The .House rose at 1.20 a.m.