JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1920, Page 1

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.; COUNCIL PASSINGS. WELLINGTON, Oct. 6. The Legislative Council passed the Valuation of Land Bill (establishing the new Assessment Court) and Military Service Amendment Bill, (giving Civil Courts authority to deal with military offenders) without amendments. a stonewall: Otago members had the floor during the evening in. the House. They were debating the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill, which proposes that some country districts shall be separated from Dunedin and constituted a new hospital district. Otago members, for and against, feel keenly on this subject and they argued about the Bill with much vigor and at great length. The debate became a stonewall after midnight, and the Speak er began to check irrelevancy and tedious repetition. An amendment proposing that the Bill be read that day six month's, was moved. Mr Sidey suggested after two a.m. that some compromise might be possible. Mr Massey who had taken no part m the debate up to that stage, said the compromise should have been suggested, earlier. A handful of' members could not hold up the business of the House. The amendment was’ defeated by 37 votes to 9. Shortly before 3 a.m. the Bill went through Committee and was passed. Mr Massey undertook to give the parties time for negotiations before the Bill passed the Upper House.