SURPRISES IN PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25253, 4 August 1947, Page 6

SURPRISES IN PARLIAMENT

MOVE FOR ABOLITION OF UPPER HOUSE

MEMBER’S CLASH WITH MINISTER (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) ' WELLINGTON, August 3. * Two surprises marked the end of an otherwise uneventful Parliamentary week. One was the announcement of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) that he would move for leave to introduce a bill aimed at the abolition of the Legislative Council, and the other was a clash between the Minister of Mines (Mr A. McLagan) and Mr W. S. Goosman (Opposition, Piako)/ in which members of the Opposition were annoyed by references, which they demanded that Mr McLagan should withdraw, that wharf labourers did not get a return for their money which enabled them to spend thousands of guineas on racehorses. Several members, among them Mr R. M. Algie (Opposition, Remuera), expressed disappointment at the oitterness Mr McLagan had shown in his reply to the debate, and said that the Minister would have to learn quickly that in the House he was exposed to the fire of public criticism. When members criticised a Minister it should not be taken as a personal attack on an individual. The House has a busy week ahead of it, and there is now no shortage of legislation to discuss. It is certain that when the industrial legislation announced a few days ago by Mr McLagan comes before the House there will be brisk discussion, especially on the question of the compulsory secret ballot being taken before strikes. There will be much more., debate before the Finance Bill now before the House is finally passed. Early in the session the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) announced that legislation would be brought in to deal with the Jetting of untenanted homes, and it is understood that a bill along these lines will make an early appearance. All in all, there is no shortage of topics and work for the House until the Budget comes down on August 14. No final decision has been announced by the Government yet on who shall represent it at Canberra later in the month, but it appears likely that Mr Fraser himself will attend. The only other name which has been mentioned is that of the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash), but the conference would clash with the Budget debate.