PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1931, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE. THE CLOSEKE CARRIED. ( tiy Tehujniph.—Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 31. 'flic sitting oi the House of Representatives which was interrupted by the adjournment at midnight on Saturday was resumed at 2.3 U yesterday. The. Prime Minister said he was not opposed to the suggestion of Mr Langstuiie that it should not he permissible’ jor the closure to he applied while a member was; speaking, and ho was prepared to accept the amendment. which was then adopted on the voices. Mr .Sullivan then moved a further amendment to exclude application of the closure if it should appear to the chair that such a motion was an abuse of the rules of the House, or an infringement of the lights of a minority. Hon. Forbes also agreed to accept this amendment which was adopted on the voices, Mr Jordan moved several amendments mostly of a consequential nature but tlie Prime Minister said he de. sired a workable motion, not one containing- confusion and unnecessary words, Mr Jordan’s amendments were all rejected. Mr AY, Nash moved an amendment to provide that there should he an affirmative vote of forty-one members voting in a majority, before the closure became effective, and to limit, its operation to proceedings when the Hmißy was in Committee. This amendment was put in two sections, the first being defeated by 50 to 24, and the second bv bO to

An amendment moved by Mr MoKeen to provide 1 that the closure should not he used when the Speaker or Chairman of Committees was in the chair, was rejected by 47 to 22. Air Young moved an addition following a sub-clause to the motion “this standing order shall operate during the currency of the twentythird Parliament and no longer.” He said the present session had been called to meet national emergency and the Government had asked for a new Standing Order because it was unable to make satisfactory headway with the business. If the experiment was successful it would he competent for the new Parliament to adopt it permanently. Air Holland (Leader of the Labour Party) said Air Young’s amendment simoly meant the closure was not to apply to any other than the Labour Party. Mr Forbes said the amendment seemed to meet the wishes of the maiority of members and he had no hesitation in accepting it. There was no reason why they should not let the next Parliament look after itself. Lively sconce characterised proceeding in the early hours of this morning contrasting sharply with the quiet debate of the previous evening,

Labour members left the chamber prior to the submission of Mr Young’s amendment to the vote, and another deep note of excitement followed when Mr McDougall called for a division. The amendment was adopted by 43 to 6, Mr McDougall being joined by Messrs Black, Hogan, McDonald, Makitanara and Lysner in opposing ft. Labour members th e n returned to the Chamber and Mr Fraser said bo wished to explain why the Party had not participated in the vote. Ha stated that Labour did not wish to fasten tli e shackles of the closure upon the House one minute longer than was necessary, but on the' other hand they did not want to vote for an amendment that was obviously intended to be a gag on one Section of the House, to enable certain Legis-, latjon to be put through. Replying to the debatc ; Air Forbes said it was an undemocratic thing for members to set out to try and bring the democratic machine to a stand still. It was hardly to be conceived that the Leader of the House would sit idly by and see the whole thing brought to nought. He could assure the House that the closure would only be put into operation when it was absolutely necessary. For instance, in such a position as the Government was now up against. The motion was adopted by 40 tO' 22, Messrs Black, Harris, Hogan joining the Labour members in voting

against it. The Mouse rose at 2.30 a.m. tilt 10 this morning.