Comment From The Capital

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28413, 21 October 1957, Page 12

Comment From The Capital

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON. October 20. i A catch-phrase heard round ' Parliament Buildings in recent ] weeks runs as follows: "Premiers! come, and premiers go; but Walter I goes on forever." The reference is to the 75-year-old Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash' As member for the Hutt electorate. since 1929. he has served under i six Prime Ministers, and his I ambition is now to be Prime Min- j ister himself. His outward appearance and quick mind do not show that he I is too old for the job. In the; early hours of Friday morning ■ when members were debating the ■ Income Tax Assessment Bill Mr i Nash was still the spearhead of the Opposition attack, speaking lucidly and strongly while many younger members of his own and the Government parties were sleeping in their rooms waiting for the divisions bells to call them back to the chamber. How Mr Nash remains in the i House night after night, after having done a full day s work, and still remains fresh and vigorous while other members of the House and reporters in the gallery wilt is a mystery. His freshness at 2.15 a.m. on Friday hardly justified the remark of the Minister of Internal Affairs <Mr S. W. Smith' that Mr Nash was "too old for Parliament." Like a flash came the reply: "When you are as old as I am. ydu will be older than I am.” “Father” Reproves House Although Mr Nash is the ola-| est member in the House of Rep resentatives. Mr H. G. R. Mason •Opposition, Waitakere' is the "Father of the House.’’ having been lunger continuously in Parliament than anyone else now there. Mr Mason, who was! Attorney-General for a record! term of 14 years, will celebrate! next April the thirty-second anniversary of his election to Parliament. His success at a by-election i was a milestone for the Labour Party which then had sufficient; strength to become the officia. j Opposition. During the late night sitting j when the House was not being! broadcast. Mr Maso-1 had occasion! to reprimand his political family on both sides for disorderly be- i haviour. He was on his feet and members were carrying on con-

versation in normal voices ail round the chambei. "Why can't I be heard when I want to speak,” j he said, referring »n particulai to the "chatter, chatter, chatter” of the Minister of Industries and Commerce 'Mr E. H Halstead’.! "Why should we be a disorderly] outfit such as is not found elsewhere in this country?” he aSKed Mr R. M. Macfailane »Opposi-| tion, Christchurch Central) called! out "just a rabble.” but Mr Mason! whirled on him and said he didj not want any help. A few minutes later when Mr Watts was answering Mr Mason. Mr W. A. Hudson! • Opposition. Mornington) m a seat behind Mr Mason made some I loud remark to his bench mate.! Mr Mason dragged himself up over Mr Hudson's writing desk! and snapped: "Quiet: Let's hear what the man’s saying.” Distant Days When Mr Jack Young, assistant] editor of "The Dominion” was honoured at a Parliamentary! gathering in honour of his 26] years’ service in the press gal-! lery he recalled that when he; first went to Parliament income taxation was at the rate of 7d in' the pound. The then Government] had budgeted for a 10 per cent, increase and a leading article on] the subject in his newspaper.] which he had looked up the other day. had been headed: "The Taxgatherer Runs Amok.” Candidates Briefed Two important conferences are being held behind closed doors in Wellington this weekend. They are election briefings of candidates contesting seats for the National and Labour Parties. The National Party is three short. Candidates have not yet been selected to contest the Labour strongholds of Christchurch Central. Avon and Sydenham. The party has until November 8 to select its representatives in these contests. Taxation Discussion Payment of social security taxation by self-employed persons next year has been the main topic of discussion in the lobbies this week. One of the arguments used by the Government in favour [of remission has been the mess that occurred in Australia when ' pay-as-you-earn taxation was introduced. Taxpayers were told to pay 75 per cent, of the income tax due in the transitional year 'New Zealand is remitting it in fulli and the result was chaos. Some persons paid, some resisted, and others just did not pay Finally the debt was abandoned. The question now being asked, is whether some future New Zea-1 land Government may not remit! the social security charge payable at death or call for payment: within a snerified time.