PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1943, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

SHORT SITTINGS ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE. HOUSE ADJOURNS TILL WEDNESDAY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Short sittings of the House of Representatives were held yesterday afternoon and again last night. The main business in the afternoon was a discussion on the Prime Minister’s motion to have a general election this year. This was carried with one dissentient, Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition, Eastern Maori), after about an hour’s debate. The Address-in-Reply debate was opened in the evening with speeches by the mover and seconder, and after they had spoken an adjournment was taken to Wednesday. AN UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT. An unusual rearrangement of the sitting days of the House for the next 10 days was agreed to by members at the suggestion of the Prime Minister, Because of transport difficulties involving South Island members" this week, the House adjourned last night till 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, after which, it will sit continuously through to Friday, March 12, with the exception of the intervening Sunday. Proposing this procedure, the Prime Minister said that members should make up their minds to work through from Wednesday in order to make up time lost. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, supported the suggestion with the comment that the Opposition was prepared to work any hours the Government wished and to co-operate in getting the business of the House done with dispatch. The Prime Minister said that it appeared that three weeks or at the most four would suffice to complete the business to come before members. debate opened. The Address-in-Reply debate was opened in the House last night with speeches by Mr Boswell (Government, Bay of Islands), mover, and Miss Mabel Howard (Government, Christchurch East), seconder, who was making her maiden speech. When she rose to speak she was warmly applauded from both sides of the House and this was repeated when she resumed her i seat after speaking for about 40 minutes. Mr Boswell said that when the war came New Zealand was well prepared, and that was due to the foresight of the Labour Government. It found the country in a state of desolation when it took office, but set out to‘ plan for the security of the people in social matters and the threat of war. He contended that the morale of the men fighting for us overseas was strengthened by the knowledge that their people were cared for under the Social Security Scheme. “No other government in any other country was prepared to the extent New Zealand was,” he added. Today Britain was talking of its Beveridge plan, and Australia, Canada and South Africa were also talking of similar plans because they realised they were for the good of their people. MAIDEN SPEECH. ‘“The whole outlook of women has changed and we are not going to be the servile creatures we have been in the past,” said Miss Howard, who discussed the plans for the rehabilitation of men and women who had served in the armed forces. Miss Howard said she was keenly interested. in rehabilitation. It was gratifying’ to know that there was a woman on every rehabilitation committee in New Zealand. They had to thank the Labour Government foi’ that privilege. She believed that if a woman had been appointed to the rehabilitation committees set up after the last wax' there would not be the wrecks and sorry spectacles there were to be seen today. “The rehabilitation of women may be more difficult than the rehabilitation of men,” said Miss Howard. “The rehabilitation plans are really wonderful, and if they are carried out there will be no fear of want, poverty or depression.” Speaking of the Government’s social security programme, Miss Howard claimed that this had brought New Zealand from the status of a pin-point on the map to world prominence. As member for a working, class electorate she could testify to the blessings of social security. To realise what it meant one had only to go into the homes of the poor and the invalided before and after its enactment. She was not an extreme feminist, but she would say that the real Minister of Finance in the home was the woman, and women were the section of the community who were most thankful for social security. Miss Howard concluded by saying that in the House members .on both sides had on the whole co-operated very well in the war If that spirit were continued in the post-war years there should be no need for a recurrence of slumps and poverty, but a brighter era should dawn for the people of New Zealand. The House then adjourned.