PARLIAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 6 December 1927, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SESSION CONCLUDES. VALEDICTORY SPEECHES. Wellington, Dec. 5 Ou the House of Representatives resuming at 2.30 in the afternoon a message was received from the Legislative Council stating that they had passed the Appropriation Bill, The Speaker thereupon announced that he would leave the chair for the purpose of presenting the bill to His Excellency the Governor-General for signature and would resume at 4.30. At 4.30 the Speaker returned and announced that His Excellency had been pleased to give his assent to the appropriation Bill. The Prime Minister, in the- course of a valedictory speech, complimented the Speaker, the Chairman of Committees and Leaders of the other parties in the House upon the pleasant feeling which had prevailed during their debates. Their discssions had been keen and animated, but happily free from personal bitterness and party rancour. In felicitous speeches Mr Holland, Mr Forbes, Sir Chas. Statham (Speaker) and Mr Hockly responded. At 5.55 a division was taken on the Prime Minister’s motion that the House do now adjourn, when the motion was carried by 34 to 25, and the singing of the National Anthem brought the second session of the 22 Parliament to a elose. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho Legislative Council met at 4.30 p.m.. receiving the Governor-Gener-al’s assent to the final bills passed. There were the usual valedictory speeches. In moving the adjournment Sir Francis Bell defended the constitutional rights and privileges of the Council making particular reference to comments in regard to the amendbent of the Licensing Bill. The Council finally adjourned at 5.4 s p.m. RECORD NUMBER OF SITTING DAY’S. During the session ,-|ust concluded tho House sat on 105 days which is a record for the Dominion. ’ The hours of sitting totalled 766.53. an average of seven hours 24 minutes, which is rather less than in 1913, when the average was eight hours 42 minutes. Public bills passed totalled 101; those dropped or otherwise disposed of. 38; private bills passed, two; petitions presented, 283 from Europeans and 63 from Maoris. Some 84 divisions took place and questions asked of Ministers numbered 260. There were 274 papers presented to the House and 400 reports received from select committees.