LEVIES AND LEVITY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 460, 18 February 1933, Page 5

LEVIES AND LEVITY

("Post" Special Commissioner).

in small~ hours MEMBEF FOR ROTORUA MISSES THE CHAIRMAN'S EYE ■ - SIX O'CLOCK CLQSING

Wellington, Friday. Scenes reminiscent of the days when "stonewalls" were a featm-e of Barliamentafy procedure, wdre ivitnessed in the House in the earty hours of this niorning when efforts were made by the Labour Party tb prolong the discussion in the committee stages of the Sales\ TaX Bill.The short title of the riieasure had ,just been agreed to after fotlf' hours debate, when Mr. P. Fraser (LabourWellington Central) moved that : ihe chairman (Mr. S. G. Smith) should leave the chair. • • - "It is now 4.30 a.m.," said Mr. Fraser, "and the House h'as been sitting for a long time. Progress has been made and in the- intefests of freedom of speech, it is only right that every memher should have an opportunity of saying what he thinks about the legislation." Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour, Roskill) a'sked if minorities were to have no rights. ' Labour members: Majorities you mean, don't you ? Mr. Richards: Surely minorities have some right to express the views of their constitudnts in this House: Battle With Chair The chairman said that Mi\ Richards must discuss whether the chairman should leave the chair. Mr. Richards: I am doing that. The chairman: Then I fail to tecognise it. ■ Mr. Richards: I'm afraid I'm not responsihle, for that. ' * ' ,! The chairman: The honourable memher must realise that he 'mtist not use such remarks. Mr. Richards: I do not wish to be offensive to the chair' or to disobey your rulings in any way. DemoCracy is supposed to rule debates iil this House but I have not witnessed tonight anything approaching democracy. The chairman. Order! Order! Too Long ! Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour, Christchurch East) said the ; debate had only been going twelve hours. Government members: Too,- long! , The chairman: If the interjections continue, I will have to stop them all; Mr. Armstrong: Thanlc you very much sir (laughter). If objection is going to he taken to a discussipn of twelve hours on such an important bill, then democracy ceases to exist; Mr. Armstrong questioned th'e right of the chairman to apply the closure at such a stage. The chairman: I did not move the ; closure, the conimittee carfiied ihe ; motion. Mr. Armstrong continued to argue » that the Speaker -and the chairman (' were given discretionary power-s re,- f garding the closure but he was feminded that his remarks were entirely ji out of order. ' i| Chair Needs Rest i Mr. R. Semple (Labour, Welling- j ton Ea'st) : What are we here for ? r He suggested that the chairman jmust be in need of a rest. j. need of a rest. j Labour members (with enthusiasm) : Hear! hear. ' v- L Support for the motion was given I: by Mr. R. A. Wright (Govermiient, !:: Wellington Suburbs) who considered 'j that the Honse had already done ex- . i cellent work. It had been sitting since 1 • 2.30 p.m. the previous day and it wa£ unfair to ask them to sit possibly ! until 5.30 tcf-night. !Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates: No, midr -if night on Saturday. • - 'i Mr. Wright: Members will want to j go north and south. ; The chairman: I'm afraid' that is -• not a reason why th-e chairman , should leave the chair. I Liabour's Anxiety A plea for the health of the Chair- ' -j man of Committees was entered by ' l eMr. F. Jones- (Labour, Dunedin S.). The chairman. I'm afraid the chair- J man's health can't he discussed. - Mr. Langstone, in advancing arguments Why the chairman should leave -' ' l the chair, said he was afraid tha't thfi j,': lengthy sitting had had effect of reducing the party to a "rathter doddery j „ state,"" hence his arguments in favoUr of continuance. ; 1 (' ! • A Nom De Guerre " ' 5 1 ? * Some amusement was created when | • • Mi*. C. H. Clinkard (Government, Rb^ Y ; torua) made an attempt to move th'e l"'! 1 closure. He failed to catch the chair- : " man's eye and was greeted witH the ' remark from Mr. Semple— "old seaU lion, get back to your mudhole.'' 5: Mr. J. MeCombs ( Labour, * Lyttel-i 3ton) urged that the charwomen wefe '1 i in the huilding and were anxious to ; get into the chamber. * ' . |* Members: Hear! Hear! Put the :'d lights off. • , 'f The chairman: Order, order. There! is too much levity. * 1 • fi Mr. MeCombs advanced another, i,|| argument in favonr of the adjourn- ' . ment. He said he was sure. that A members- were anxious to have a.n dp- 'jt : portunity of reading the morning papers in order to find out whafc *con- 1' \ ' sumers thought about th'e saies tax , ■ Mr. J. O'Brien (Labour, WeStlafid)^ 1 drew a rather dire picture of th( j : stuffy atmosphere of the. Chamber. _ 1 "Why," he said, • "there'* is pape:- : ,1 and cigarette butts lying all dver thu • . 1 ] place." - ' ri ' ' j If they went on as- they were go ■ j . f ing, they would have to send for A . ; | doctor from the lunatic asylum t-'j I examine the whole lo't of them. P 1 ! l The Chief Government Whip'' (M> !; 1 | A. J. Murdoch) moved.'the closure this stage but the motion was *nc p; accepted by the chairman. At 5.50 a.m., Mr. Wright solemplj i:i- ? announced that he had ariothhr reuj4, '1 son why the committee should. a-( .'-"E jottrn. He referred to the "sweating j' j'p] methods which were being adopted 1 . ; j far as officei4s of the Hou§e were- cOip:; j.: cerned. ;Hh]{3| Shortly before 6 o'clock, flie Mi:1]:'.^ ister of Defence (Hon. J.' G. who was temporarily in charge of tl.'ji. hill, moved th'e applicaiion of tlj 1 closure and this was cdrried^hy j jf . ' votes to 24. (»|.3