ANGRY SCENES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 210, 21 June 1950, Page 5

ANGRY SCENES

FEDERAL HOUSE DEBATE ON COMMUNIST BILL (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) (Rec. 10.55.) CANBERRA, This Day. Angry scenes marked the return . of the Communist Party dissolution Bill to tne House of Representatives last night. , The Government imposed a timetable for the debate, and soon after 11 p.m. the House rejected the Senate amendments on the onus-of-proof and trial by jury, and passed the Bill for the second time substantially in its original form. Of 29 amendments inserted in the Bill by the Labour-dominated Senate and by the Government itself, the House accepted 15 and rejected 14. The Bill will be returned to the Senate to-day, and it is expected that the Opposition will again insert the contentious amendments. Before the vote in the House, Mr R. G. Menzies (Prime Minister) declared: “This is our last word,” which was interpreted as meaning that the Government will force a dissolution and a general election if Labour does not give ground. Mr Menzies added:, “The Bill will go on the Statute Bbok in effective form, or it will not go on at all.” Two other developments have indicated that Labour has no intention of yielding. 'The Senate has re-inserted amendments to the Child Endowment Bill-providing for 10s instead Of 5s a week for the first child, and to direct the Arbitration Court to disregard the child endowment in fixing the basic wage.

' The deputy-Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator N. E. McKenna, has given notice of a Bill for a referendum to give the Government power to control prices.