HOUSE DIVIDES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 197, 20 August 1943, Page 2

HOUSE DIVIDES

CLOSURE APPLIED 43 FOR, 20 AGAINST (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The moving of the closure by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, at 2.42 this morning brought the second reading debate on the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Bill to an end. Thirty-tour members were in their places at the time, and the House appeared to be thoroughly tired. Mr. Fraser said every member had had an opportunity to speak, and he thought the time had arrived for the question to be put.

Mr. Bodkin (National, Central Otago), rising to a point of order, drew the attention of Mr. Speaker to the Standing Order which constituted him guardian of the privileges of members. He said that the. former~speaker, Sir Charles Statham, had' declined on occasion to accept the closure motion. The point he desired to emphasise was that the closure was not put as a matter of right. The motion could be reviewed by Mr. Speaker, and he suggested that Mr. Speaker should direct his attention to the amendment. Mr. Speaker: The hon. gentleman is telling me what I am already aware of. (Laughter.) New Issues Raised The reasons why Mr. Speaker should not put the motion, contended Mr. Bodkin, were that only a small number of members had had the opportunity of speaking on the Opposition amendment, which did not cover the whole bill, and also that the amendment raised entirely new issues. Only a comparatively small number had had an opportunity of addressing themselves to those, new issues. If Mr. Speaker would consult the authorities he would find it was his duty to preserve the rights of members to address themselves to the issue. Mr. Speaker said Mr. Bodkin's remarks were rather in the nature of' an admonition," well meant no doubt. The position was that something like 31 hours had been spent on the debate, and. all members of the official Opposition and other members of the Opposition had spoken. He thought that most of the ground, if not quite all, covered by the amendment, had been already traversed in the debate. Voting 011 Party Lines A division was called for, and with the ringing of bells members who had been taking a rest in other parts of the ■ building filed into the Chamber. The result of the division was: Forty-three in favour of closure and 20 against. Two more divisions were taken immediately afterwards, one on the Opposition amendment and the other on the motion for the second reading of the bill. The amendment was rejected by 43 votes to 20, and the voting was the same on the second reading. The voting was carried out on party lines. Of the Independents, Mr. Atmore (Nelson) voted with the Government, and Mr. Kyle (Riccarton) and Mr. Wilkinson (Egmont) with the Opposition. Mr..Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) was not present.