SESSION INCIDENTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 451, 5 September 1928, Page 16

SESSION INCIDENTS

Queries and Asides

(THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

WeeK-enas are becoming" more protracted as the elections draw near, and there were still a number if empty seats in the Chamber when the House resumed in somewhat half-hearted fashion this afternoon. The London and New Zealand Bank Bill was read a third time and passed. The Church of England Empowering Bill was read a second time and referred to the committee of selection, which will appoint the committee to consider the Bill. The Minister of Health gave notice of his intention to introduce the Dangerous Drugs Amendment Bill.

The second reading debate on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amending Bill occupied most of the evening sitting. The second reading of the Public Works Amendment Bill, a consolidating measure, was carried without debate. The House rose at midnight until 2.30 p.m.

rM Historic Building. The preservation of the old Canterbury Provincial Council Chamber and the land on which it is situated as a trust for the people of Canterbury and Westland is provided for in the Canterbury Provincial Buildings Vesting Bill, read a first time in the House. The Bill seeks to vest in a board comprising the members of Parliament for Canterbury arid Westland, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Lands, the Provincial Council Chamber and site, and to preserve it intact, also adjacent land, subject to occupation rights by the Grown for use for general Government purposes. * * 35 Heated Charges that he had countenanced reduced living standards, led Mr. Coates occasionally into heated passages with Labour to-nisht. Mr. McCombs said that 9si a day was evidence of the Government’s tactics. Mr. Coates: That is just what the hon. gentleman would say. It is impossible for him to be fair. Sir Maui Pomare: It’s not in him. 35 35 fit Farm Talk A peculiar feature of the Agriculture Department reports is that as

they invariably contain matter with which the bulk of members are familiar they are inevitably talked out. History repeated itself to-day, when the Department of Agriculture report, presented by the Hon. O. J. Hawken, was talked out with the utmost exuberance, members devoting: themselves largely to the danger of the introduction of stock diseases. Most agreed that the department /was doing good work, but Mr. Lysnar was critical, though he admitted that when he got up he had no intention of saying so much against the department. “But it comes up automatically,” he added. Art Of Dodging A characteristic sample of the exchanges between Mr. Coates and the Opposition to-night was the following:— Mr. Coates: What useful contribution did Mr. McCombs make to the debate. He doesn’t seem to know where he stands. Mr. McCombs: What did you do with the shearers ? Mr. Coates: Do you suggest that conciliation has not been an effective means of settling disputes. Mr. McCombs: Well, why do you want the legislation. Mr. Coates: The hon. member is adept at dodging the point. Mr. McCombs: You are dodging it. Mr. Speaker: Order. «

Speeding Up Speeding up of Parliamentary business as the session nears its close was indicated to-day when the Prime Minister secured the passage of a motion giving Government business precedence on Wednesdays, which hitherto has been set apart as private members’ day. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, asked how this would affect local Bills and private members’ Bills already on the order paper. The Prime Minister said local bills were not affected. They would duly be given their opportunity. The position with private Bills, however, was different. The trouble was that when q,n opportunity was giver;, one member wanted to consume all the available time.

Mr. Holland asked if they could not make some mutual arrangement by setting apart a certain time each Bill, and Mr. Coates said they would try to do so.

m & Church of England Bill Those members who expressed distrust of the Church of England Empowering Bill disclosed no close ac-

quaintance with the purposes of the measure. One or two, indeed, were very wide of the mark and would be well advjsed to study their subject before the Bill, returning from committee, gives opportunity for fresh discussion. * 26 * No Parallel A fact which was not grasped is that there is no immediate parallel between this Bill and the recent proposition, rejected by the Commons, that a Revised Prayer Book be adopted in England. Moreover, the Church in New Zealand is not a State church, as it is in England, and Parliament Jias by no means the same measure of authority over it. But for the laws of trust the Church would probably never need to go to Parliament for the wider freedom it seeks in the BilL