JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1920, Page 4

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

THE COUNCIL

The Legislative Council completed its Address-in-Reply debate to-day in an uneventful fashion and must wait now for the House.

The debate on Hon MacDonald’s want of confidence amendment was continued in the House. Mr Sullivan, (Avon), one of the new Labour members, made a good speech on. party lines. Sullivan and Howard appear to have a sense of humour and proportion, for the lack of which most of the Labour members fail to impress the House. AN INDEPENDENT. Col. Mitchell (Wellington South), who is an independent, stated that he would not vote for the Amendment. He believed' in putting the Government to the hurdles before deciding that it. could not jump. The debate was continued by other members. Tt has been a . particularly duil debate so far. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Hon W. F. Massey answering a question, stated that the Financial Statement was almost ready, but he did not expect to read it to the House for a few weeks. A SUGGESTION.

A suggestion that the Government should bring miners to New Zealand from Broken Hill, where a strike has been in progress for many months was made in the House by Mr Holland, (Grey) to-day. The Dominion was suffering from a coal famine and from a shortage of miners and general labourers, said Mr Holland, and would the Prime Minister favourably consider a proposal to bring 200 capable miners and labourers from Broken Hill, work and homes to be provided for these men, who would he available for public works for the coal mines and if necessary for the gold mines. If the Prime Minister was willing to consider the proposal an arrangement could he made quickly. It would be cheaper to bring immigrants from Australia than from Britain. MR MASSEY’S REPLY.

Mr Massey replied that he would he willing to receive a proposal and place it before Cabinet for consideration. Many of the details, doubtless would require discussion and examination. Additional miners certainly were needed in New Zealand. A coal famine was caus. ing suffering and hampering industry, and no means of increasing the output from the mines should be neglected. The scarcity of cement was merely a result of the shortage of coal. Mr Massey added that under the present, law, quartz miners could not work in coal mines. He thought this rule should he amended during the present session. WELLINGTON, July 7. ANTI-LABOUR- SPEAKER.

The debate nearly came to a close shortly before mid-night. The feature of the evening’s proceedings was a very vigorous attack on Labour extremists by Mr Potter, (Roskill), wli 0 apparently sue ceeded in making some of the Labour members angry. COMING TO A CLOSE.

Tho debate was adjourned on the motion of Hon Parr. It is anticipated that Hon W. F. Massey will speak to-mor-row, and that a divison will be taken. A Government majority of sixteen is forecasted in the lobbies.