Mr. Speaker . . .

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 780, 28 September 1929, Page 1

Mr. Speaker . . .

I Session Queries and Asides

i (THE SVH'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Today. The pressure was well applied to the ! House of Representatives yesterday by the Prime Minister, and for the first j time this session the House did not break up at the usual hour of 5.30 p.m. This must have caused some heartburnings to about 20 members, who had booked their passages South by the ferry steamer. A good week-end had simply floated away on wings of words. Having rejected Mr. Coates's amendment to the Land and Income Tax Bill by 45 votes to 27, the House carried on. passing the Bill's second reading and then proceeding to the Imprest. Supply Bill (No. 4). which occupied the House until 3.1 a.m. i ... The second reading of the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill was not completed on Thursday evening, so that most people expected that the House would go on to the fourth Imprest Supply Bill of the session. When the House met at 10.30 today, however, the Prime Minister moved that urgency be accorded to the Bill and to the Imprest Bill, with the annual taxing Bill coming a bad third. The debate on the second reading was then resumed, and carried on cheerfully. ... Mr. Coates’s Amendment Just before the lunch adjournment the Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, rose to speak, and after lunch moved his amendment that .the Bill be referred to the Public Accounts Committee. A debate followed this, and shortly after five o’clock the division bells rang. The voting was easy to calculate, and Labour and the Government went into the same lobby, while Reform and the three Independent members who had declared their attitude —Messrs. W. J. Poison (Stratford), C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) and H. M. Rushworth (Bay of Islands) —went to the Ayes lobby. The voting was 45 to 27 against the amendment. Any Old Time It seemed then that the motion would be carried, but the Opposition was not willing to meet the PrimeMinister, when in his reply he said that he would meet the House if members wished to adjourn at the usual hour. When his offer was rejected, it seemed that any old time would do him, and he proceeded to make a leisurely reply, shot with pieces of lightning retort. After nis reply, however, the second reading was passed at 5.50, ancl the Imprest taken. Non-Party One significant fact emerges from yesterday's division, and it is that for the first time for many years the Government has been dependent upon Labour support entirely. With the exception of Mr. J. T. Hogan (Rangitikei) the three non-party members left the Government fold. It seems as if Mr. Hogan may as well label himself wholly and solely United. Much Cry Little Work What might be termed the “verbal debacle’’ of this evening has seriously set back the new standing orders under which members started out so bravely at the beginning of the session. Needs must when the devil drives, and regular hours go to the wall with the real business of the session. The Government must expect a few more sittings of 12 hours or more before it gets through tinsession. The net result of the sitting which ended this morning was the second reading of one important Bill and the passing of one small Bill. j Not for London Replying in the early hours of the morning to the debate on the Imprest ; Supply Bill (No. 4), the Prime Miuj is ter stated that there had been a l reference during the debate to a rumour that he intended to become High Commissioner. He declared that he had no intention of accepting i that position. Legislative Council , The Legislative Council met at 10 ■ o’clock this morning and passed the Imprest Supply Bill (No. 4i without i discussion. The Council then ad- ' journed until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday | next. Sayings of the Week • “I know of a deceased estate which has two children.”—Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne). j “1 think I must be on the wrong ! track. Mr. Speaker. The member for j Gisborne agrees with me.”—Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), j “The Prime Minister has run amok I with an axe and is shooting everybody.”—Mr. G. R. Sykes (Masterton). “The Government is back-pedalling ; in its motor-car.”—Mr. H. S. S. Kyle i (Riccarton).