BILL PASSED AT DAWN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 198, 21 August 1943, Page 4

BILL PASSED AT DAWN

LANDS MEASURE

SOME AMENDMENTS

CLOSURE ONCE MORE

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Servicemen's Settlement and iLand Sales Bill was passed in the j&Souse of Representatives at 6.16 this anorning, after an; all-night sitting. It jwas the first sitting of such length 'since before the war in committee stages, which occupied the House from 2.40 p.m. yesterday until 6.15 ■this morning. Several Government amendments, as outlined elsewhere, were incorporated in the bill. The Opposition, although introducing no amendments, called for 12 divisions, all of which were taken on purely party lines and usually resulted in a Government majority of 21. For an all-night sitting, the tone of the discussion was good tempered, and even the application of the closure by the Government was not seriously resented by Opposition members, who had been talking on the short title of the bill throughout the afternoon and the whole of the evening till a few minutes after midnight. Then the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, moved the expected motion without comment.

"Bludgeoning it through," declared the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, with a smile.

"Seven hours," retorted the Prime Minister, and this was all the comment till the division bells rang and. the closure was adopted by 37 votes to 16. The short title was then challenged and adopted by the same; majority. The number of divisions ensured a good attendance in the House throughout the night, and resulted in no one getting muchisleep.; Several members, however,.did their best to doze off on their benches, and that some had succeeded was indicated by an occasional snore. A noticeable feature was that the four women members, Mesdames Dreaver, Stewart and Poison and Miss Howard, .remained in their places for the greater portion of the sitting, and took a full part in the proceedings to the finish. At 6.15 a.m. the bill had passed the committee stage, and this was celebrated by a few Labour members clapping, and one shouting, "Hurrah."

"Can't you do better than that?" smilingly inquired Mr. Poison (National, Stratford). The remainder of the proceedings were purely formal, the bill being read a third time and passed without comment.

In moving that the House adjourn, the Prime Minister briefly indicated the business remaining to be done, and Mr. Holland suggested that this looked like finishing the session on Thursday. The Prime Minister's reply was that possibly it might be Wednesday. At 6.23 a.m. the House adjourned, until 2.30 p.m. on Monday.