ANGRY WORDS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1925, Page 3

ANGRY WORDS

DISCUSSION ON ESTIMATES. WELLINGTON Sept. 5. There was an angry scene in the House of Representatives at half past three o’clock oil Saturday morning alter the Leader of the Opposition (Mr G. W. Forbes) had protested against further classes of the Estimates being taken. The House, said Mr Forbes, had passed the Lands Defence and Marine Estimates, and that was far enough to go for the sitting. “How far arc wo going this morning ?’’ asked .Mr Forbes. The Prime Minister: “The list wo gave yon last night." “There is a lot to go on with." replied Mr Eorl.es. “There is the Department of Health, which the Minister talked out himself.” “I did not talk it out.” interjected Sir Maui Pomare. The Prime Minister referred to the long series of speeches from the Labour benches on the Defence, and Marine votes. Members had every right to ask questions, but the Government bad a right to get its Estimates through, and they must l.e finished in one more day. The Marine Report had been discussed again for two hours and a-luilf alter having been discussed on the Imprest. Mr Holland: You won’t deny that it was a very necessary discussion ?

Mr Coates said that that night's discussion had been unnecessary after what, had been said recently. Five < six hours longer than necessary had botm taken in discussing the Defence and Marine- items. “That is a matter of opinion.’’ remarked Mr Holland. “We are just as good judges as the Prime Minister" heatedly declared Mr P. Eraser (Wellington Central) “and where the life of workers is concerned wo are probably letter judges than the Prime Minister. If he had any sense of the res) onsiblity of his position he would not say that the Ala fine Department took too long." labour electioneering. A number of Ministerialists, including the Prime .Minister and the Hon W. Nosworthy. joined in a united chorus against the I.about' benches, and the Chairman of Committees (Mr J. A. Young) several times had to call for order above the mild uproar. “We are lighting for the lives of the workers.” called out: Air Eraser loudly. “It is an insult to the Government." angrily broke in Air Nosworthy. “It's electioneering." declared the Prime Minister.

Mr Eraser: Nothing of the kind. “Onler!’’ called the ehairma«i. Mr Eraser: A statement of that kind .shows irresponsibility on the part of the head of the Government, nothing more or less. At any rate. we have had a promise from the Minister which we did not have lie fore, that wireless safeguards are to he pushed as far as science can go. The lion G. .1. Anderson: You had it twelve months ago. “We had if. and volt went hack on it ; yon tore tip the snap of paper" Mr Eraser shot hack at the Minister. There was another burst of interjections after which the discussion on the Labour Department’s Estimates proceeded. At a later stage the Prime Minister said llte header of the Opposition had listened to quite a number of speeches I rout the lull our benches without having a win'll to say. Mr Forbes': We allowed them the time we would have taken. (Lauglit"rl. Had wo spoken the discussion would have been twice as long. LABOUR MEMBERS W\I.K OPT. At 1.110 several Labour members walked out of the ( hamhei' in company. and a few minutes later Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) raised a point, of order that a quorum was not present. The l ells being rung a number of Reformers trooped into the Chamber, but llm members who " allied out did not return. '■Here’s the quorum.'' observed Mr Sullivan as the Prime Minister arrived on t lie scene. As there were silHicient Reform and Nationalist members pre-enl to form a quorum the chairman ordered the discussion to go on. A quarter of an hour afterwards Messrs Forbes and Masters wore the sole occupants of the Nationalist benches. and Mr Holland was the only one left on the Labour benches. Mr Masters momentarily conversed with Mr Holland and then called attention to the state of the Hon-e. Once more the chairman ('"tinted the heads, asking members who were present to sit- up in their scats or hold up their hands. Mr Eraser: Will you count the snores ? The chairman announced that there was a quorum, whereupon the Prime Minister added with a laugh that “the I.about' Party missed that time." The Lender of the Opposition, who had been speaking, remarked that he was glad to see that even at that, early hour C L ho a.in.) there was a snffieient number present to form an audience.