"AIMLESS TALK."

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 10

"AIMLESS TALK."

* ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE

MR HOLLAND WANTS TO END IT

[THE PRESS Special Strrlct )

WELLINGTON*, July &

A strong plea for the restriction of the length of tho Address-in-Beply debate was made this evening by Mr H. E. Holland (Buller), who contended that in view of the large amount of work that lay ahead of the Government ai little time as possible should be wasted in what was merely an aimless discussion on a -wide diversity of subjects. . •'I want t«> suggest to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition,*' said Mr Holland, "that they should join with the Labour Party in bringing about the conclusion of the present debate in order that Government legislation may be brought aown with as little delay as possible. . .. Never before in the history of New Zealand had the Parties been so cvenly divided as at present. The Government and the Opposition were almost even in numbers, while the Labour Party was almost as big, and ao held th" balance of power between the two. The Addreas-in-Eeply debate had a specific purpose only when a No-Confi-dence motion was to be presented, but. when no such motion had be«.n put before the House the debate degenerated into a discussion on a variety 01 subjects. The Government could not be attacked or criticised on its legislation, because no legislation had been brought down, and it would be almost a crime if the House wasted days and weeks on an aimless debate and bo held back legislation which, it had been informed, was ready. One of the main reasons why there should be no more delay, continued Mr Holland, was that New Zealand had recently been afflicted with the greatest earthquake disaster in the history of the Dominion. Farms had been mined, homes and businesses had been destroved, and, following on the heels of that visitation, came the flood disaster in the stricken areas. The people were waiting xor Parliament to take measures to relieve their distress, and the Government should be given the" opportunity to set to work immediately on relief measures. Although faced with such a disaster as well as a national deficit of £577.000, he was sure that the Dominion would in the end rite triumphant above the trials which beset it. But at the same time there was so much to be done that no obstacle should be placed in the path of legislation because of the urgency of the situation.

The Labour Party did not intend to contribute farther to what waa developing into an aimless debate, and he trusted that other members in the House would follow their example and so reduce the waste of valuable time to a minimum.