PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1932, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

COUNCIL SITTING DEBATE CONTINUES. , (Per Press Association — Copyright.' WELLINGTON, October 8. In the Legsiative Council yesterday Hon. J. A. rtanan was e.ected Chairman or Committees and Deputy Speake:\, The Address-in-Reply motion was adopted, and the Council rose till Wednesday. In the House. The Budget debate was continued in the House of Representatives, Mr H. , M. Rushworth said it was most regrettable that the prestige of our parliamentary institution in New Zealand was not as high as it should be. He feared it was falling even further, and this he considered was due to the fact that it had become inefficient, or at any rate not sufficiently efficient. He considered it wag a mistake to believe that it lay in a strong stable Government, because it really rested With ail efficient Opposition, It was very nice fof a Government to be able to steam-roller anything through, but thei’e was .no efficiency in that, The powers of the Opposition had been whittled away un. til they were now practically non-ex-istent. It was necessary to restore soihe of this power to create an effective Opposition, or, alternatively, to select some more effective means of governing than the present institution. One over-riding pledge had made the Government imperious to argument, because when members were selected they were pledged to support this, that, or the other party in a matter of noconfidence. Every matter the Government brought forward was made either openly or quietly a matter of confidence, and members were compelled to vote against other pledges because of one over-riding pledge. The debate was adjourned when the House rose at 5,30 p.m. till 2.30 on Tuesday.