LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 21 November 1913, Page 5

LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT.

AND THE SECOND BALLOT. OBSTRUCTION BY OPPOSITION. (By Telegraph — Pre** Aswciation.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. When the House of Representatives met this -afternCon, members of the Oppositioji proceeded to give notice of amendments to bo moved when, the Legislature Amendment Bill got into committee. Each amendment (some were of inordinate length) were read in.extenso. . After half-an-hour's procedure of that nature, the Speaker rose and stated , that the time of the House was being wasted, and it was unnecessary for members*" to. read the text of the •amendments, jit was quite sufficient to state that they proposed to move certain amendements. He could not, he said, rule that members shall not read the, amendments, but he would leave it to the good taste of members. .Sir Joseph.Ward..said the course was, perhaps, an extraordinary one, but they were fighting for a principle and must adopt extraordinary methpds..,v \ .-.',-y.„ { . ~..,'•■ ." • ':' .'•.., '..'«■■ The Hon; W. F. Mnssey said the' attifttde of the Opposition was not' in accordant wifh' the constitutional custom. It, was : simply a waste of time,,to prevent the opinion of the majority' of members of the House being placed on tbe Statute Book. When "the Bill was cn.ll.od on, Sir Joseph "Ward moved tbo adjournment of the House.

The Hon! W F. Massfy challenged tße motion, and the Speaker asked time to consider whether "a private memoer'hsd. th^" rijrht to move the adjournment of the House. The House then went into committee on the Bill. Mr J. V. Brown moved to strike out the word "Act" in the short title, and to substitute the word "Statute." „ . After some the Chair-: man allowed the amendment to be moved. Similar tactics to those adopted on 'Wednesday mornine; wore resumed. At D o'clock a division' Avas taken on the amendment of Mr Brown to substitute the word "statute." forjthe word "Act" in. the first JBill. The motion was defeated by 38 votes to ■l9: ■ '■'■"■'7-' ■"'■- ' ■'■"■\''i '■'■'■■ ■j : ! Mr Gf. W. Russell then moved to report progress.