Session Incidents Queries and Asides

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 5

Session Incidents Queries and Asides

; (THE S UX’S Parliament ary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. Liveliness marked proceedings in the : House of Representatives yes lord a . , The Prime Minister submitted a state - ! ment on the wireless-cable merger which prompted some labour criti- | eism. The Health Department's re- | port also excited discussion, j in the evening the Public Domains Reserves and National Parks Bin a ts introduced. The Property Haw Amend - | ment Pill and the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Pill were read a second time. The Film Quota Bill was also 'discussed. The House rose at Jl.4*> p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. fb V Another Vacancy Filled j Another vacant place in the Chamber was tilled yesterday when Mr. T. IM. Wilford, who returned l>v the j Maunganui, resumed his accustomed j seat. He wasted no time in getting to work, for a few minutes later lie gave notice of his intention to introduce the llutt River Board Empowering Bill. He * Developments in the Air "Is it the Government's intention to station a liaison officer with the Royal Air Force, as recommended by the Right Hon. L. AmeryT’ askec Mr. H. At more. The Prime Minister replied that it was largely a question of cost. An officer who had been abroad for two years had just returned to New Zealand. The question of stationing on officer in Britain was under consideration. In the meantime the Gov - ernment was keeping abreast of developments by all possible means. 5K rfc Mr. Lysnar Holds Out Possibly Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne), did not intend to look as obtuse as he was made to look when he insisted on calling for a division upo the proposal that Mr. P. Fraser's Rigl to Work Bill be shelved for a furthe period. Every other member of th Htuise realised that, having secure the discussion he wanted on anothr measure (.the Unemployed Worker! Bill) Mr. Fraser did not now wish i fire his second barrel, and was simpl clearing the way for the private bills of other members. However, it was all very amusing. Reproof ? "Wliat a silly thing to say," said Mr. If. E. Holland to Mr. H. T. Armstrong when the latter cried, perhaps injudiciously, "God Help the Empire"—this during a discussion ot' defence requirements. The Labour leader’s remark seemed to convey a distinct reproof for Mr. Armstrong; but the. member for Christchurch East explained later that his interjection had been sadly misconstrued. *- * Judges are But Human The judiciary by no means is infallible where native lands are concerned, according to Sir Apirana Xgata. who said in the House that the Supreme Court, like everything else, was human. Judges, he said, are not only Supreme Court judges—they are also human, and they are pakeha. Cases have been known in which, where there waa room for bias or doubt, the decision went against the native owners. Too Many Interjections A sharp reproof was administered to members of the House after a spell in which speakers discussing land policies were subjected to much interruption. Mr. Speaker finally intervened, stating that he had a responsibility to see that debates did not degenerate into mere conversations, “otherwise wc will have interjections following the end of each sentence,” he said. "1 must ask members to observe the rules. Debates must not be punctuated with interjections.”