REMARK RESENTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1944, Page 3

REMARK RESENTED

REHABILITATION DEBATE WHY OPPOSITION WAS SILENT (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, this day. After the ninth Government speaker in succession on the Rehabilitation Amendment Bill, and Mr. Denham (Govt., Invcrcargill) had asked the House of Representatives last evening why the Opposition was not speaking, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, rose to declare that Mr. Denham had intended to mislead the country and the House. Mr. Denham suggested that the Opposition had run out of ideas. To this Opposition members interjected that they wanted to get on with the business of the country. Mr. Holland said that Mr. Denham had gone out of his way to convey to the country that Opposition members had no ideas on rehabilitation, and had not contributed anything to the debate. How grossly unfair that was. There was no dissension on the bill, which would be put through unanimously. Mr. Denham knew that, but to score a political advantage would lead the country to believe that the Opposition had no ideas on rehabilitation. Mr. Holland said that for two days and nights Opposition members had tr.ken their place in the debate in proper rotation, and had made some valuable contributions. It was not possible, he declared, for all Opposition members co speak in the debate. The Opposition fen that two days and nights were sufficient for the debate, and they were anxious to get to the Committee stages, where they would have some worthwhile amendments to move to try and improve the measure, but obviously the Government was determined to continue talking and the day's speeches had not contributed anything new. The Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, said there was no other thought by the Government except, getting the bill through. Jocularly bandying words with Opposition members, Mr-. Nash said there were trumpeters on the front benches of the Opnosition all the time. Mr. Holland: But we have not got a gasometer (Opposition laughter).