YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1555, 26 September 1912, Page 6

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT.

OPPOSITION CAUGHT NAPPING. .-IMPREST SUPPLY BILL [ WISTERIA!. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

.The first subject that gave riso to a ' discussion of any length when the House of Representatives met for business yesterthe report of tho Public Petitions '(A to L). Committee, oil the petition of Captain Atvrood, master of tho steamship Elingamite, which was wrecked on llio .. Three Kings, about, ten years ago. The "Committee sfpongiy and- unanimously urged the Government to take into favour- ' able consideration Captain Atwood's application for monetary compensation. The ! -report'.was supported by Messrs. Wilford, ' Malcolm] and Russell. Mr. Malcolm : 1 "stressed the point that the loss of the ■ Elingamite was dv.o to an-error in tho i ..charts produced,by. the Marine . Depart- • rn'ent.' The Hon. A. L. Herdman promised that the report of the Committee should ! have the serious attention of the Govern;. ; ment.'. . j A comedy note was struck when .formal business had been disposed of. The Opposition were caught napping. Possibly their'attention "had been diverted from other business.by a cable ■ message from the High Commissioner (stating that the . wool sales had opened in London with i good prices in prospect), which was read i : b.v. the Prime Minister for. the information I of; members. In. any case; Oppositionistsi niiowed their" opportunity to- .open tho usual Wednesday afternoon discussion on ' questions ■to ■ slip through their: fingers. : . No!, ono moved .tho adjournment. of ..the House, and before Oppositionists.awoke to the' situation, Mr/ Speaker was putting n motion that;he should,leave the.cliaiy in order that tho House might go into Com--1 mittee of Supply to - consider an Imprest Supply Bill.- :• To a question by Mr. Buddo,' the t Speaker politely replied that tho opportunity to discuss questions had been lost. There-were some disgusted protests from the Left of the House, and a good deal ' . of light banter was exchanged. .All prol ;ests were over-ruled, and-the House went on to deal with tho Imprest Bill. ' ■ The principal topic .during the evening discussion was the Waihi strike. , The line ; of action taken ' by! the Government was assailed, fiercely.by Mr! J.Payne (member ; for Grey; Lynn), and : in more . moderate tones' by Mr. J. Robertson, (member for ■ Otaki). The Hon. ,F. 51. B. Fisher, in replying ,on behalf of the Government, pointed out that the men in gaol could secure, immediate release by finding srire- : ticj to! keep tho peace. ' The, strikers, Mr. ..Fisher stated, :had .refused to -accept- re- . lease, on-these terms. - The. debate on -the :Imprest , Bill continued until 1.-10 a.m'.,' when it was put through its; final stage, 'and the House ' A rose. '