WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1931, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

DURATION OF PARLIAMENT, DISPOSITION TOWARDS EXTENSION. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, August 31. The dehate on the second reading of the Licensing Poll Postponement Bill in the House of Representatives at the week-end was naturally punctuated by many inquiries concerning the prospects of the prolongation of the length of Parliament. Mr J. McCombs the member for Lyttelton, and Mr I). Sullivan, the member for Avon, were the most fervid opponents of tins possibility of the licensing poll, being hung up for eight years; but they found quite a cheery ally in Mr H. E. Holland, their own leader, who, it seemed, was less anxious to repress the liquor traffic than to embarrass the Government. The Inter-Party Economic Committse, he declared, had no right to deaP either with political questions or with the postponement of elections. A large majority of the House, however, took a different view of the position, which had been endorsed by the New Zealand Alliance, and the Bill was put through its further stages with no serious opposition. . THE BIGGER QUESTION. During the passage of the Licensing Poll Postponement Bill many inquiries were made concerning the prospects of a prolongation of the life of Parliament. Mr H. E. Holland, the first of the pa vi y leaders to allude to the subject, declared that the Economy Committee had no right to deal with the postponement of either the general election or the licensing poll and that he was sure if' either were introduced the Committee’s sittings would very quickly end. The Labour leader apparently had made up his mind on the subject. Mr Forbes, when pressed for information on the subject said he was sorry he could not supply the information required. The question was one for Parliament to ; decide. Mr Coates was more diffuse. “That all depends,” Jie answered to an inquiry from the Labour benches, ‘‘we can’t prejudge the position. • Much depends on. the findings ,°f Hie Ecnoomy Committee, and much depends on the support, the Labour Party will give to these findings, and so on and. so.” THE) TWO LEADERS. Further retorts drawn from the two leaders were characteristic and interesfiiig. Replying to M David Jones, •it^^iibef&VJjreS'inieniber^for Mid-Canter-bury, Mr Forbes said be had hot Oxpressed ; liinWeif as deSiroUs Of ah extension of the ,;, life of Pai'liatttent. What he had s:\jd was that the country's difficulties*’were so acute that rthgj- could be dealt with only by a ffistipnal Government. He still believaaEfthe position wrs so vital that it I&fiSild not be further prepiorced by considerations of an election. The £sr)£. before the House contained nottinSg dealing with the subject. He riyaSted to say, however that the Government was not shirking an election. .Come when it rnirdit -the Government would be prepared for the test. It raver before better prepared for the trial of the constituencies, and i ever more ready to accept their decision; but it was not for the Government to say when the trial should come. That was the privilege of Parliament. HIS MAJESTY’S OPPOSITION Mr David Jones, having extracted such information ns he might from the -Prime Minister, Mr D. Sullivan the Labour member for Avon turned to Air Coates for more. The Reform j ader was less precise than Air Forbes had been, but covered more ground “That all depends)” he hold Air Sullivan, and' the House incidentally. “We can’t prejudge the position. Much depends on the findings of the Economy Committee, and much depends upon the support the Labour Party will give to those findings. Jf ' a plan was recommended by the Committee which the Reform Party claimed to be the right one, then he believed it should live up to it and see it through.” “What do you mean by that?” the irrespressible leader of the Labour Party demanded. “Exactly what I say,” retorted the Leader of the Opposition. Finally, after an entertaining exchange of humour with members of the Labour Party, Air Coates reached the conclusion that if thing unexpected happened the “whole business” would have to be gone over again.