PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 105, 27 January 1933, Page 10

PARLIAMENT

Session Reopens Quietly NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION Labour Party’s Intention , BANKS’ INDEMNITY BILL (By Our Parliamentary Representative.) Reflecting the quickening of interest in political events, crowded galleries witnessed the resumption of the session after a seven weeks’ break yesterday afternoon,, but those who waited patiently for the reopening in the expectation of seeing anything out of the ordinary on the floor of the House of Representatives were rewarded with nothing more exciting than an hours routine business. The Prime Minister was not ready with his policy statement and. because there was nothing to do, the House adjourned until this morning. The Labour Party’s decision to test allegiances was revealed almost immediately after the House met by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, who gave notice of his intention to table a no-confidence motion at the first opportunity. When asked by Mr. Holland what his plans were for the remainder of the session,, the Prime Minister remarked that it was. probably not fitting that he should announce the Government’s programme immediately on top of receiving notice of an adverse move from the Opposition. He said, however, that it was intended to bring down the Bill indemnifying the banks against ' exchange losses to-day, but he gave no reply to Mr. W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central), who asked if it were intended to indemnify the workers against their losses also. Asked whether he would rush this particular Bill through, the Prime Minister said its passing was a matter of urgency, but he. would allow a reasonable time for it to be debated, leaving the inference that it might be necessary to apply the closure. As the question was an important one, he said, the Government had no desire to stifle discussion although, he thought members were agreed that, the session having already been drawn out, it should not be prolonged unduly. Legislation dealing with the budgetary position would follow, but debates would not be curtailed too severely. Changes in the Ministry saw a rearrangement of seating on the Government benches. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, having resigned the portfolio of Finance, no longer occupies the front-row bench which he has shared for many years with Mr. Coates. He has been moved to a seat jn the second row of the Government cross benches with Mr. R. W. Hawke as a companion. Mr. C. H. Clinkard, who formerly sat with Mr. Hawke, has moved across the gangway to a bench with Mr. G. R. Svkes, which has been vacated by the Hon. A. Hamilton, who is with the Hon. C. E. Macmillan. As there are now only eight Ministers in the House they are all accommodated in frontrow benches, and, being second in seniority among the Reform Ministers, the Hon. J. A. Young now shares Mr. Coates’s bench next to the Prime Minister. ■ Mr. H. J. Holyoake, the new Government member for Motueka, took his .'seat in the House for the first time. He was escorted to Mr.' Speaker’s dais for the swearing-in ceremony by Mr. J. N. Massey and Mr. J. Bitchener. He then took a back bench seat with Mr. W. P. Endean. Tributes were paid to two former members of the Legislature, Mr. H. L. Tapley and Mr. J. Horn, after which the House adjourned until 10.30 this morning, when Mr. Forbes and Mr. Coates are both expected to make policy statements. . LABOUR CAUCUS Decision to Oppose Economic Policy A caucus of members of the Labour Party was held yesterday morning, when it was decided to move a motion of no-confidence in the Government and oppose its economic policy. The arrangement of a pair for Mr. W. J. Jordan (Lab., Manukau), who will be absent from the Dominion for some time, was. left to Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon), a Labour whip, to discuss with the Prime Minister, Ttt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, who will no doubt instruct the chief Government whip, Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Govt., Marsden), as to what course to adopt.