MEMBERS’ BILLS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 149, 14 September 1927, Page 8

MEMBERS’ BILLS

GAMING AND RELIGIOUS EXERCISES LABOUR HAS_A GRIEVANCE (THE SUN'S Parliamentary JKcjwrirrJ WELLINGTON. Tuesday. "PHE sponsors cf the Gaming Amendment Bill (Sir Georg« Hunter) and the Religious Exercises Bill (Wr. Henry Holland), have been given a definite urdertaking by the Government that their measures. will be giver time by the House before the p~rsent session finishes. The admission that this was so brought a pertinent question frjm the Liihour benches: ‘Why to only these two Bills?” Labour’s antipathy to the Religious Exercises Bill is well known in the House, while the party’s desire to have consideration accorded th* seven Labour Bills on the order paper is equally keen. Mr. Coates claimed that a tetter and longer run had been given private members this; session than ever before, while on the other hand he claimed that members had talked on other members’ Bill in order to prevent certain measures being reached. This produced a storm of protest from Labour’s side, Mr. W. lurry putting in: “You have done some of it yourself, ’ while from die Government benches there was a chorus: “Tiiere’s a good bit in that, too!” When the Prime Minister moved to have Wednesdays held for Government business for the remainder of the session, Mr. P. Fraser said that, assuming that promise had been given the Gaming and Religious Exercises Bills, would similar arrangements lx* made with other private members who had Bills a waiting consideration —Bills of equal, anc. in the- opinior of seme greater, importance than these two? Mr. Coates promised a statement to the House in a few days, indicating the legislation that was proposed. It was unfortunate that private members had not been able to get some of their measures dealt with before this. Mr. T. M. Wilford: Oh, that is what the standing orders are for—to keep them out. Mr. Coates said Religious Exercises, ij Summer Time and Gaining would re- | ceive Government time. Mr. Fraser: Is the Government going to support Religious Exercise*? The Prime Minister merely laughed A suggestion from Mr. W. A. Yeitcl that his Fairy Export Control Bi! should receive speciil time receiver jj the reply from Mr. Coates that he wai not optimistic.