AN OBSERVER IN PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 10

AN OBSERVER IN PARLIAMENT.

ANOTHER IMPREST BILL.

(uicullt toitTin ro* thr press.) [By iPoLmctJs.]

WELLINGTON, August 30. Tho. third Imprest Supply Bill of this session was passed on Thursday night. Of other essential business the House did very little during the week. On Tuesday it had a day on the Unemployment Bill—and left it without deciding the major issues it raised. On Wednesday some of the answers to accumulated questions were circulated fcnd discussed, and in the evening private members wero allowed to bring out their own Bills for an airing—Mr H. G. R. Mason had a string of four. On Thursday the acting-Prime Minister secured a quick passage and the minimum of debate for the Imprest Supply Bill by suggesting that, when it was through, the House should take Local Bills and that an adjournment slio"uld be made at 9.30 p.m. until Tuesday so that members might leave to attend the funeral of the late Sir Maui Pomare. The Imprest and nine Local Bills were passed with all celerity. Heavy l>oss Record. The ■ adjournment for Sir Maui Pomaro's funeral caused old Parliamentarians to comment on the very heavy loss the Legislature has suffered by death this session. One ex-Prime Minister (Sir Thomas Mackenzie) died before the session, and two others, Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Robert Stout, died while Parliament was sitting. Sir Maui Pomare and Sir George Hunter have also passed away during the session. One by-election has just been held and two others must shortly be taken.

Two Labour Voices. Before the Prime Minister left Wellington a deputation from the Alliance of Labour met him, and, in dictatorial tone, demanded the alteration of the flat rate levy of the Unemployment Bill, bigger benefits and various other alterations. Failing compliancy with its demands the Alliance intimated that it would oppose the Bill even if it became law and would be compelled to ask its members not to assist in carrying it out. Further, the Alliance stated plainly that it was not a party to any sort of Party compact that may have been arranged in These demands from the industrial wing of the Labour movement agree in a measure with the requests of the Parliamentary Labour Party, but they were expressed in stronger terms, and the intimation that the Alliance repudiated any Party compact was, to say the least, a reflection on the political wing. In view of these statements the opening of the Committee stage on the Unemployment Bill in the House of Representatives was awaited with interest. Mr Holland, however, made no direct reference to the Alliance of Labour deputation. He merely claimed that ,the attitude of the political Labour Party had been endorsed by an open conference called by the Alliance. His remarks were, nevertheless, an indirect rebuke to the industrial wing. He said that, although the Bill fell short in certain respects of what the Labour Party stood for, it made some provision for those who were suffering as a result of unemployment. Very few men among the workers would object to paying the levy, but he repeated the demand for a gradual f' l scale of contributions. It was this question of the graduated scale that piovokcd the most discussion in the debate on the short title—that and the exclusion or exemption of women. Some interesting figures were produced by the Minister for Labour to show what women would be affected.,if they were included. These showed that women in "domestic duties" and retired or pensioned outnumbered by more than three to one those working for pay. "Would anyone be in favour of collecting a levy from housewives!" asked the Minister for Labour. But neither this point nor the graduated levy issues was settled when progress was reported on tho Bill. The Usefulness of the Private Member. The powers of the private member of Parliament are limited. He cannot initiate legislation involving taxation or the expenditure of public money. Even his right to alter Government proposals in this class is restricted. He can move to reduce a vote, but he cannot increase it, for that would be an "appropriation" and an infringement of the Govern ment's rights. Even in scrambling for his district's share of publio expenditure his opportunities are not what they once were. New methods of apportioning expenditure and the present urge for economy give less' scope for the skill of the old-time "roads and bridges" member. Still, tho private member retains certain privileges,, and he is keen to exercise them. One of the most prized of these privileges is the right to draw attention to some legislative anomaly or to suggest a reform by in-, troducing a Bill. Occasionally valuable work is done in this way. As an example, Mr Barnard, on private members' night, had an amendment to the Family Allowances Act to permit deserted wives to obtain the family allowance to which thoy would be .entitled if they had not been deserted by their husbands. It was generally agreed that this was an anomaly that should be removed. Of course Mr Barnard could not carry such a Bill through (it was barred by the appropriation) but he effectively called attention to the subject. Another little Bill (one of Mr Mason's. four) proposed to deal with the difficult question of domicile in divorce proceedings so that New Zealand girls might obtain divorce from those American sailor husbands whom they had not seen since the American Fleet sailed away. In law such wives, having married Americans, are domiciled in America, and cannot obtain a divorce here. It appeared, in the course of Rebate, however, that an attempt to give them a New Zealand domicile might lead to more complications inasmuch as divorce obtained under such circumstances would not be legal elsewhere. If the girls married again outßide New Zealand they would be technically guilty of bigamy. After the Bill had been read a second time the committal was postponed so- that the subject might be further considered. The Youngest Member. The House, which had a warm affection for Sir Joseph Ward, gave his son a cordial welcome when the new member for Invercargill made his maiden speech on Thursday. Mr Ward entered a House with which ho was thoroughly familiar from his with bis father, and it was not surprising that he appeared much more at ease than does the average youthful new member. His first entry into debate was a little clash with Mr Samjiel, who had quoted Mr Ward's election manifesto. Mr Samuel is one of the quickest and readiest of members in retort, especially when he is dealing with the position of Parties, a .favourito topic. But Mr Ward held his own with fair success. Later he