PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 12

PARLIAMENT

♦— FIVE LOCAL BILLS PASSED IMPREST SIJIH'LY DEBATE LABOUR MEMBERS CRITICISE (iOYKKNMENT [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, August 30. Politics yielded pride of place to Rugby football in the minds of most members of Parliament this afternoon. At times during the day the House of Representatives could not boast a quorum. The Prime Minister himself, most of his Ministers, and a large number of private members attended the match at Athletic Park between the All Blacks and a New Zealand team, while a sadly depleted House was left to debate the local bills on the order paper. Five of these bills were put through the second reading, committee, and third reading stages to the accompaniment of very little argument. This dispatch of business was probably due as much to the comparative emptiness of the House as to the uncontroversial nature of the bills. It was expected by some that the Christchurch City Empowering Bill, substituting the positive for the negative system of voting at municipal elections, might have provoked opposition: but after Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) had explained the intention of the measure it was passed without further comment. ■ With five local bills to its credit, the House found itself with very little to do, and on the suggestion of the Minister in charge of the business (the Hon. J. A. Young) members went on to discuss departmental reports, including that on mental hospitals. .The Imprest Supply Bill was brought down in the evening, and Labour members made full use of their opportunity to speak on anysubject they liked to choose;. Most: of them chose unemployment, and the Government was, as usual, brought in for severe criticism for failing to make greater provision for relief workers. The Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates). replying to the debate, claimed that the outlook of the unemployed was much brighter than it was a year ago. The budget debate, which was begun last evening with tb.o speech of the leader of the Opposition (Mr Ml J. Savage), will be continued tomorrow.