Parliament’s Overtime

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 632, 8 April 1929, Page 8

Parliament’s Overtime

Should House Sit Only in Daylight i

OX Tuesday, April 16, a select committee is to meet at Wellington to discuss the feasibility of daylight sittings of Parliament. Its task is not a simple one, for there are many questions to be accounted for other than those embraced by daylight and dark.

SUPERFICIALLY there is no sound reason why Parliament should not observe the hours of any up-to-date commercial establishment, opening at 9 o’clock in the morning and closing at 6 o’clock in the evening. But those who are familiar with the intricate workings of New Zealand’s political machine readily appreciate the difficulty of encompassing the State’s work within ordinary business hours. The late home-goer from the theatre and dance during the winter months sees tiny squares of light peering from windows iu Parliament Buildings, and reflecting dimly upon the

statues of Sir George Grey and Mr. Seddon in the picturesque grounds; the early worker sometimes calls in on his way to his job at 3 o’clock or 4 o’clock in the morning, when the House is engaged in an all-night sitting. To both of them this nocturnal industry represents merely bad regulation of the country’s time and unnecessary strain upon the health of those who make its laws. Yet there is a reason for this incessant toil. Although Parliament does not sit continuously during if; annual session, the “business as usual ’ sign is always virtually erected above the doors, and in times when the pressure of legislative work is heavy there is hardly an hour in the 24 when the House of Representatives is completely deserted —someone is there for almost the -whole round of the clock. In ordinary times Parliament sits at 2.30 in the afternoon, works till 5.30, when the dinner adjournment for two hours is reached. Resuming at 7.30. members sit until the busi-

ness of the day is cleared from the order paper. Usually the volume of work is set by the Government, but sometimes it is dictated by the holdup tactics of a strong Opposition. Over recent sessions the average sitting day of .Parliament has just been on seven and a-half hours. To keep up this average in a daylight schedule, therefore, the House would have to meet at, say, 9 o'clock iu the morning, work till 1, resume at 2.30 and adjourn for the day at 6 o clock Members’ Busy Days This would be quite all right if members had nothing but Chamber sittings to attend, but the life of a member of Parliament during session is composed largely of select committee meetings, deputations to Ministers on behalf of constituents, and the execution of those hundred-and-one tasks which contribute to the earning of £450 a year. Committee meetings—perhaps the most important of these calls —are tovariably held in the morning, except on rare occasions when special per mission is secured to meet during the sitting of the House. So if the House met during the day most of the rank and file members would be working back in the evenings clearing up the day's accumulation. Again, witnesses who are to give evidence before select committees would have to spend a greater time in Wellington than at present. A man who goes from Auckland to Wellington this evening to wait on a select committee to-morrow can. in the ordinary course of events, have his business through in time for tomorrow evening’s return train. If the committee meets in the evening he will be delayed a full day. More Work in Evenings Usually the Government in power advocates night sittings of Parliament because they facilitate business. A Bill is brought before the House after the dinner adjournment in the evening, and the Government in effect says, “We will not stop until the Bill is finished with.” If, on the other hand, Parliament were to cease work with the 6 o'clock whistle, legislation would tend to drag wearily from day to day—with disastrous results to the business efficiency of the State. From the viewpoint of comfort and convenience, daylight sittings would be universally approved. Certain members in the chamber have, in fact, been strongly advocating their intro duction for some time. Some of the Australian State Parliaments sit only during the day, and, it is claimed, what can be accomplished across tho Tasman can be made the rule in New Zealand. If the select committee to sit next week can comfortably .surmount the difficulties which now beset its deliberations, jt will at least ensure a community of 80 less jaded, less workworn and less irritable politicians than is now distributed over the country at the end of every Parliamentary session. This year’s session is likely to begin at the usual time—toward the end of June.