Late Introduction Of Bills Causes Uproar

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29339, 19 October 1960, Page 19

Late Introduction Of Bills Causes Uproar

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 19. The introduction of a Licensing Amendment Bill and a bill providing for equal pay for women in the Public Service was interrupted by the adjournment at midnight of the House of Representatives tonight.

The House was in an uproar, with Government members shouting that the Opposition had deliberately blocked the introduction of the bills.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holyoake), facing a barrage of Government interjections, retorted: “I’ve never seen such bad management in all my life.” Mr Holyoake complained at the Government’s delay in introducing the bills. The Prime Minister (Mr Nash) presented the two bills and a Police Offences Amendment Bill to the Speaker (Mr Macfarlane) at 11.40 p.m. The House then went into committee to receive the bills and the Attorney-General (Mr Mason) explained the provisions of the Police Offences Bill. Mr Mason was followed by Mr J. R. Marshall (Opposition, Karori) who said: “If this is the best the Government can produce, it would be better not to waste the time of the House.”

While Mr Marshall was speaking there was a stream of interjections from Government members. "Why haven’t you been here all day?” the Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) asked. "How is Mr Bognuda?” the Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) shouted.

The Junior Government Whip (Mr Macdonald) called out: “You should have been attending to your job here. You shouldn’t have two jobs.” Mr Marshall ignored these interjections.

Mr Marshall was interrupted by the Chairman of Committees (Mr R. A. Keeling), who said the time had come to report progress to the Speaker.

The Speaker returned to the chair, and Mr Keeling said the committee had not made progress on the bills and asked for leave to sit again.

There were angry shouts from Government members, and the Prime Minister rose to move the adjournment. “I am sorry these measures have been blocked,” Mr Nash said, amid shouts from the Opposition. The Senior Opposition Whip (Mr R. G. Gerard): Blocked by your caucus. Mr Holyoake: Sh-sh-sh.

Mr Nash said the Opposition were being most unfair in blocking the introduction of the bill. “I have been trying to expedite the opportunity to consider these bills, which have been thwarted by speeches which were quite unnecessary. However, we will continue to deal with the bills tomorrow,” he said. Mr Holyoake: We have been asking for weeks and weeks for the Government to bring in amendments to the Police Offences and Licensing Acts. The Opposition and public opinion have forced the Government to bring in these bills.

Mr Holyoake said the Labour Party had promised equal pay in 1957, but notiiing had been done till now.

“And the Prime Minister has dodged and duck-shoved all last session on the question of licensing reform till the Opposition forced him to set up a select committee.” Mr Holyoake said. There was further shouting from the Government benches and the Minister of Customs (Mr Boord) rose to a point of order. Mr Holyoake continued speaking against Government cries of “sit down, sit down.” The Speaker interrupted and said there could be no point of order as the time had come for him to leave the chair.

There was more shouting across the floor of the House after the Speaker left the chamber. Groups of Government and Opposition members stood calling out to each other for several minutes. The contents of the Police Offences’ Amendment Bill were outlined by Mr Mason, but the contents of the Licensing and Equal Pay Bills will not be known until the House resumes at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow.