PARLIAMENTARY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1924, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

THE GAMING BILL

ST( )X E WAI. LI X G CONTI XU E D

[ilY TELEGRAPH— J'KH MESS ASSOCIATION

B ELLINGTON", October 22. W hen the House resumed at 0.20 the Chairman of Committees announced that under the Standing Orders the motion to report progress had lapsed and the debate on the short title of the Hiil would he resumed.

Mr Parry then proceeded to justify the opposition to the Bill. At Sl.-I > .Mr .Massey rose and said

that he greatly regretted to find the discussion still in progress. He hoped that better councils would have prevailed, hut evidently that was not the case. \) hat had taken place only neiM to show the necessity for Standing Orders. J|c always had been jealout tor the treedom of speech • consequently, he never had eared to have the Standing Orders so amended as to limit Lee speech.

-Mr Sullivan : "Wo are not preventing your .supporters from speaking.” Continuing, Mr Massey said there must he some form of closure. •Mr Sullivan : “Aon were going to

sav Parliament.” Mr Massey said he was going to do nothing of the kind, but lie was going to billow tile example of every great

Parliament in tlio British Empire and have some lorin of closure. A«.r I In! hind; It is a pity you did not think oi this when you were fij'litinj* the old pensions. .Mr Massey said lie had nothing to regret in connection with old age pensions. lie had made the very suggestions which were now being embodied in legislation, but which were not accepted at the time. Coming back to the bill, be said the position was that promises were made to certain sections el the people that the hill would he introduced this session and the question had been whether faith was to lie kept with these people. The matter had gone past that now and the question was whether there was to he constitu-

tional government or nut. Ho stood by constitutional government everythin'. Mr Sullivan: “You have hewn the greatest dictator we have ever had in the history of the country.” Mr Massey said, he took that as a compliment. There were times when the Premier must assert himself, if ho is worth his salt, hut he had never been tyrannical. In reference to (he Bill, however, lie said: ‘"The passage I of this hill can’t stop. We have to ' put our hands to the plough and we ' must go 0n..” Mr l’arrv: "We accept that challenge.” Mr Massey: “Vefv well. The time will come for plain speaking.” I

A voice: "Go to the country on it. Mr Massey said he was willing to gc to the country, hut it would not be oi the Bill, but as to the question whet hgr Parliament was going to ho gov erned. lie made his position clear am: he would stand by it. “We go on oi go out of it.” said M.r Massey. Mr Holland asked what did the Prime Minister m.ean by his reference to constitutional government. Constitutionalism was a government carried on in compliance with the Standing Orders which had been contravened. The Premier’s attitude was doing Parliament no good, lie agreed the Standing Orders should lie amended, hut the Premier’s repentcncc came late in the day. When he was Leader of the Opposition he took lull advantage of the forms of the House. He wished to suggest to the Premier that if the autocratic powers of the racing conference were considerably curtailed

and if that was done he did not care much whether the permits were granted or mil. Let the Premier agree to that and then we can get on with the more important matters. He agreed that the Standing Orders required amendment, hut tlm rights "I nietiiber:iu list he considered. Evidently tlm Mill now became a Government Bill and if defeated it would be an expression of no-confidence in the Government. Mr Massey said it was not a policy bill and it was not a Government measure. If there was anvlhiug w rung with the position of the jockeys he hud no doubt that the majority of the House would put that right. The discussion then reverted to the short title of the Bill. Air .Jordon at the close of his speech, moved that the Chairman do now leave the chair, and the discussion swung round to giving reasons why this should he done- or should not he done. This, together with points of order, and suggestions of a compromise served the opponents of the Bill with sufficient ammunition on the attack until one o’clock when the Chairman left the Chair until 2.30.