PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 90, 13 October 1932, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council met at 2.30

The Hon. D. Buddo introduced the Limitations of Speed of Vehicles on Public Roads and Streets Bill, which •was read a first: time.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. .Mrs -Speaker announced that an address had been presented to His Excellency the Governor-General in reply to His Excellency's Speech from the .Throne. Mr. P.-Eraser (Labour, Wellington Central), in association with Messrs. E^ Semple, B. McKeen, and C. H. Chapman,- gave notice to ask the Prime Minister: —(1) Whether he and some of his colleagues had deliberately adopted the practice of receiving deputations representing electors of Wellington on matters of public importance to the city and citizens of Wellington without the usual courteous procedure of the local members being notified of such deputations. (2) Whether this fre- ■ quent and continued discourtesy is unintentional or studied on the part of some Ministers. (3) Whether it was proposed to extend these discourteous methods in the matter of deputations on public matters to all other electorates in the Dominion. (4) Whether in the future Wellington members of> Parliament would have extended to them the same courtesy in respect to deputations on public matters which other members receive. • Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Government, Eden) gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether an opportunity would be given to' discuss appointments to the Legislative Council. PARADES ON ARMISTICE DAY. The objections o£ certain sections of the community to military parades on Armistice Day was the subject of an Urgent question addressed to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. G.. Cobbe) .by the Bey. Clyde Carr (Lab., Timaru). "Will the Minister Of Defence take such steps as may be necessary to preyent the hojding of military parades on Armistice Sunday, as is being arranged at present?" Mr. Carr asked. "The proposal is meeting with very strong opposition by clergy, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist in particular, and by various associations interested in the maintenance of peace and the advancement of disarmament, including the League of Nations Union, Student Christian' Movement, W.C.T.U., Y.M.C.A., National Peace Council, No More, War ijovement, and Labour organisations." ■.. ' . . "'''Prior to the suspension of compulisory military training in Christchurch, church parades were held by the units in. Christchurch on the Sunday nearest Armistice Day," said the Minister in reply. "The proposed parade is merely a revival of this custom and is not an innovation,." The Minister added that the parade,, which is to be held in Hagley Park would be purely for Divine Eeryiue and for no" other reason. Having regard to these circumstances, he Hid not propose to take any steps to interfere. • THE ARBITRATION ACT. _ Resuming the debate on the introduction of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, the; Minister of Labour (the Hon. A. Hamilton) said that a conciliatory spirit had been evident/* and the Conciliation _ Council to-day was a true conciliation council. Mr. P. Eraser (Labour, Wellington Central)-said the country was in for a period of industrial turmoil. He challenged the Minister to cite a case where an industry had closed because of an - award of the Arbitration Court. The workers were not going to climb down. "If they are out to fight I am with them to the last ditch whatever the methods-are," he said. . It was possible,to force people down but it was impossible to make them surrender. The workers might be forced to accept -unfavourable conditions but the time, would come when they would fight back. The Eight Hon. J. G. Coates. said it ■was surprising to him to see how roused Mr. Frascr had become. The ' Labour Party had been, wrong when it forecasted that the country would come to a standstill when the Act was amended, and now it was annoyed about the inaccuracy of its forecast. The allegations of the Labour Party about 'sweating" were absolutely inaccurate. The- country would not stand for sweating" conditions being imposed «jn the people.

(Proceeding.)