YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 9

YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE

PARLIAMENT

DAIRY MARKETING COMMISSION

TWO BILLS INTRODUCED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 22.

The House of Representatives occupied itself mainly to-day with a full discussion of the Dairy Marketing Commission Bill, Government members, including two Ministers, defending it, and the Government’s general farming policy, against Opposition criticism of some aspects. Outlining the attitude of the Opposition, which had been accused by Government speakers of criticising a measure which they in fact welcomed, the Deputy-Leader of the Opposition (Mr K. J. Holyoake, Pahiatua) said the National Party had four main re-sons for giving at least a partial welcome to the bill. They were: first, it gave a partial restoration of some of the powers filched from the dairy farmers by the present Government some 10 years ago; second, as a vindication of the National Party’s fight and the dairy industry’s fight to regain some of these powers; third, it was some proof of the Government’s retreat from Socialism; fourth, although it did not end it, at least it somewhat limited the virtual dictatorship exercised by the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) over' the dairy industry. There were 12 speakers in the long discussion, in which interjections were plentiful at times. The debate was adjourned at 10.30 p.m., and the House rose until 2.30 tomorrow. Two more bills were introduced today, one rewriting the law concerning Magistrates’ Courts.