NO BUSINESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 57, 8 March 1935, Page 8

NO BUSINESS.

HOUSE ADJOURNS.

FARMING BILL NOT READY. PRIME MINISTER EXPLAINS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. After having shown signs of faltering for the last few days, the Government's legislative programme collapsed temporarily last night, and the House is now in adjournment until 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Parliament has been in session for over three weeks, and it has passed only one bill, and that a measure of relatively minor importance, dealing with bondholders' rights. It has also completed the committee stages of the Mortgage Corporation Bill. Bridging the gap between the final stage of the mortgage bill and the introduction of the "mystery" measure for the rehabilitation of farmers' finances, the Broadcasting Amendment Bill was submitted, but second reading debate on this bill, to which the Plouae devoted its attention yesterday, proved to be an ineffective time-spinner, and was maintained with obvious difficulty. It had already been announced that the committee stages would not be taken until the Minister had heard representations from deputations to-day, and after the death-rattle of the debate sounded at 11.l."> to-night, the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, was obliged to confess to the House that a hiatus had occurred, and the Government was not ready with its next business. Accordingly he obtained an adjournment until next Tuesday. "You Might Have Told Us." The only comment from the Opposition benches was that of Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Christehurch South), who murmured: "You might have told us before seven o'clock," presumably meaning that had members known in advance of the development they could have caught the southern ferry and the northern train connections to their constituencies.

During a Parliamentary session the cost goes on irrespective of whether the House is sitting or not. as the stalls have to l>c retained and normal services provided. Tims the country will foot the bill for the adjournment, and see no result of any kind for it. Cynics, on the other hand, suggest that while Parliament is silent, even if it bo for five days only, the country has that additional amount of freedom from apprehension and that, amount of enjoyment of stability.

Members Not Pleased. Rank and file members are not at all pleased that the break has occurred, since they realise fully what the reaction to it in the constituencies will be. They consider the Government should have taken steps eo to arrange its programme that gaps would not occur, and so that the whole of the business could have been disposed of in five weeks. The Prime Minister's explanation of the delay, as given to the House when asking for an extended adjournment, was this: "Owing to the fact that we have not been able to get the other bill—tin- one complementary to the Mortgage Corporation Bill, dealing with the ..rehabilitation of the fanning industry—we have decided to adjourn until Tuesday afternoon, when T can now definitely promise the House will get the bill. Owing to the fact that one of the members of the staff of the Law Drafting Ofiice has hud to go into hospital for an operation, a good deal of additional work has been thrown on Mr. Christie, the law draftsman. It has been a difficult bill to draft, and has taken fur longer than was anticipated, but it will lie completed and will be ready for , introduction by Tuesday. We will go on with that bill on Tuesday."

Replying to a question, Mr. Forbes said that if it were the wish of the House lie might instead <;<> nn with the Broadcasting Bill, Mr. Elamilton having intimated he would bo ready to proceed with the committee stages then. Ho added tlmt the reason for not meeting until 3.30 )).m. on Tuesday was to enable members to attend the farewell luncheon to Lord Bk'disloc.