CONTROL OF QUEUES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24741, 5 December 1945, Page 3

CONTROL OF QUEUES

CLAUSE IN BILL DROPPED (From Cur Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, December 4. A clause in the Statutes Amendment Bill giving the police power to. control queues was dropped by the Government in the House of Representatives this evening after it. had been strongly criticised by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland). He said there should be no reason for it in New Zealand.

Mr Holland said he objected to the clause conferring such powers on the police. New Zealanders were well mannered and disciplined and did not need a policeman to tell them what to do. The clause savoured too much of regimentation. The cause of queues, he said, was shortages. If better facilities were provided at railway stations and elsewhere the need for queues would be obviated.

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said he did not attach very great importance to the clause, which had been asked for by the Commissioner of Police. Mr Fraser said he was willing for the clause to be dropped if the House was not unanimous about it. It was not practicable to provide facilities to enable all people to get their tickets at the same time at a railway station. There was no question of a police drive .in the matter of queues. He had no less herror of regimentation than the Leader of the Opposition. The clause was struck out.