“SHEER GAG”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1938, Page 6

“SHEER GAG”

'DISCUSSION ON ESTIMATES CUT SHORT. CLOSURE ON FIRST ITEM. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The first closure motion of the session was moved in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, to bring to an end discussion on the first item of the estimates. The discussion began shortly after the opening of the sitting and proceeded until 5.20 o’clock, when the Prime Minister, who was in charge of the vote for the Legislative Department, rose and moved that the question be put. There were immediate protests from the Opposition benches. “The gag has been applied on the first item of the estimates for the’ first time in history,” said Mr W. J. Polson (Opposition, Stratford). “The Government has got something to hide.” The Chairman of Committees, Mr E. J. Howard: “The vote for the Legislative Department has not been mentioned once in two and a half hours.” The Opposition called for a division on the closure motion, but before the question was put the Rt Hon J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) asked for a direction from the chairman as to what constituted a reasonable time for the discussion of the first item. It was generally regarded as an opportunity for a discussion on the estimates as a whole. The chairman: “The vote for the Legislative Department has not been mentioned. I have given what I consider reasonable time.” Mr Coates: “Sheer gag.”

Mr Polson: “They can’t take it.” The closure motion was carried by the Government on a division by 41 votes to 16, after which progress was reported just before the dinner adjournment.