BITTER TAUNTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26626, 24 November 1947, Page 4

BITTER TAUNTS

SUPERANNUATION BILL OPPOSITION IGNORES GIBES THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT Political Correspondent WELLINGTON, Nov. 23. Bitter taunts from the Government benches marked the final stages of the Superannuation Bill on Friday. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, has seldom been seen in a more angry mood. His temper can always be judged by his complexion, which on this occasion was decidedly ruddy. Except for Mr T. P. Shand, who hit back with his customary vigour. Opposition members showed rather a surprising disinclination to retaliate against the gibes and reproaches of. Government mepibers. Their silence caused such comments as “where’s the fight?” to be made from Government benches. Nevertheless, it appeared that. Government members were themselves rather uneasy, . realising that they were assuming the sole responsibility for g measure of dubious popularity. The tellers for both parties were kept busy before lunch on Friday when there were four divisions within half an hour, all being on clauses in part 5 of the Bill dealing with members' superannuation. While the first division was being taken there was hubbub of indignant comment on the part of Government members. Mr T. E. Skinner was heard to observe that it was a Financial Times division. In this division, voting was 38 in favour and 32 against. The unusually large disparity was due to several Opposition members being unavoidably absent, while the pair arranged for Mr W. H. Fortune bad not been provided through an oversight on the part of the Government Whips. This was rectified in subsequent divisions, when Mr T. Omana refrained from voting. Relative Strength

Mr J. R. Marshall, who had been conducting a case in the Supreme Court, arrived in time for the last three divisions. This made the voting 37 —33, which more accurately represented the relative strength of the parties. Mr A. C. Baxter, whose majority of 13 votes in Raglan is the narrowest in the present Parliament, supported the principle of parliamentary superannuation, but admitted that he himself was unlikely to qualify for it. “Anyone knows,” he said, “ that I will have a struggle to stay in this House for nine years.” He also made a candid admission that “there could be no worse reference for commercial life than to be an ex-member of Parliament.”

Mr F. Langstone, who appeared to view the Opposition’s atituae more in sorrow than in anger, said they had exhibited “ the graven image of reluctance ” when voting against the Bill. Despite their righteous indignation, however,. Government members were obviously not eager to prolong the discussion, and there were audible expressions of disapproval from his colleagues when Mr Parry insisted on adding his contribution. ■ Mr Shand, who followed, quickly brought Mr Fraser to his feet on a point of order, but after that there were no more fireworks.

With the adoption of the nineyear qualification, there are 18 Government members and nine Opposition members who are already eligible for superannuation.

Apart from members’ superannuation, the only other measure which aroused heated debate was the Workers’ Compensation Bill, on which the Opposition fought vigorously for further amendments. Here Mr W. A. Sheat, who lias impressed throughout the session as one of the foremost debaters in the House, again claimed attention. Having been a member of the Labour Bills Committee, which had already effected several important modifications to the Bill;; he virtually assumed charge of the Opposition's various amendments and told the Government cross benchers in forthright fashion that he understood the Bill far better than some of those who would vote for it out of blind political prejudice. Out of Hand

A lack of firmness by the Chairman of Committees, Mr C. L. Carr, allowed the House to get right out of hand, as he himself admitted, during the committee stages of the Workers’ Compensation Bill. Finally, after Mr Sheat had appealed for the protection of the chair. Mr Carr, rose to his feet and intimated somewhat wildly that interjections and counter interjections must stop. The chief offenders lately have been on the Government cross benches, where Mr Baxter and Mr T. E. Skinner seem quite unable to restrain themselves. Mr Skinner, within 30 seconds of Mr Carr’s warning, shouted the word “Hooey” across the Chamber. “That is unparliamentary,” replied Mr Sheat, “ but it is about on the level of the honourable member.” Mr P. G'. Connolly was reported to be understandably pleased on Wednesday evening when word came through that he was leading in the Dunedin City Council poll. Later information was presumably less agreeable, but Opposition members were jubilant. Although Mr Fraser has proclaimed that the House can sit another six months if necessary, most members regard, this as a rhetorical gesture, and are glad the end is in sight. Although, on the whole, t|ie session has failed to produce' the dramatic situations and political crises that were expected, it has been long and wearying for all concerned. The compulsory letting of empty houses will no doubt be warmly debated, but otherwise little except routine business remains.