THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2802, 21 June 1916, Page 6

THE FINANCIAL DEBATE

REMARKABLE COLLAPSE

AN OCCURRENCE WITHOUT

PRECEDENT

HOW IT HAPPENED

Never before in tho history of the New Zealand Parliament has the Financial debate collapsed as did the debate on iho second Budget of the National Government, the most important Budget that lias ever been introduced into the New Zealand Parliament. This debate never began It is not even strictly correct to say. that it collapsed. There was no debate to collapse. Of course the whole thing was an accident, tho sort of accident which can very easily happen in Parliament, but the sort of accident which members contrive by unresting vigilance to prevent from happening. The debato on the Financial Statement is taken on the question "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair, in order that the House may go into Committee of Supply." Mr. Speaker put the motion, called for voices on it, declared it carried, and forthwith declared tho House in Committee. A great many members on both sides pf the House were prepared to speak in the debate. Oppositionists were prepared with adverse criticism, the Labourites also wero ready, and members of the Reform Party were going to express extreme disapproval of certain of the taxation proposals. Under party Government the Leader ■of | the Opposition would have led off in thi6 debate, but there being no leader the op-' pqrtunity was lost. While many men wished to speak at some time in the debate, nobody was expecting to be .called upon to speak at that very moment. I'hey had only five seconds or so in which to overcome their hesitancy, but, each waiting for the other, all . lost their chances. It'happened just after the House resumed at 7.30, and the Labour members, who are usually extremely watchful, were not in their places, though they wero actually within tho Chamber.'

Members will have some opportunity of discussing the Government's proposals later, when the Bills come, down, but 'they will never again have an opportunity of a general review of the Government policy as revealed in the Budget. So far as can bo discovered, no 6uch collapse has ever occurred before.. Two years ago there, was no debate on Mr. Allen's Financial Statement, but this was by the considered decision of tho Opposition Party, then led by Sir Joseph Ward.

The accident cuts at least two weeks off tho duration of the session. Tn one day the House did as much work as might easily have occupied ten sitting days. T?irst, nn Imprest Supply Bill was passed without a word of debate. Members kept silence because the Financial debate was to come, and they judged, that this would afford them ample opportunities .for reviewing the Government's policy. The '• "Financial debate," which might have, and probably would have, "kept the House talking for eight days, was done with in about eight seconds. Last of all, the first item of the Estiinates; was passed in twenty minutes, and this is usually work for the House for a whole day and night. The Estimates should now pass quickly, and tho Government will go on with the few but important Bills on tho session programme. ■