INTERLUDE IN HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 23, 21 October 1944, Page 8

INTERLUDE IN HOUSE

Amendment Lost By One Vote CHARGE BY MINISTER There was a lively interlude in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, when following the Government s close call on a division which it survived by one vote, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, as acting-leader of the House, charged the Opposition with breakiiiff. an arrangement between the party whips. The division was called for by the Opposition after it had moved an amendment to reduce the Internal Marketing Departmerit’s estimates by £«->. Mr. Murdoch (Marsden), in moving .the amendment, said it was an expression of the Opposition’s opinion that the Governments policy should be aimed at placing internal control of primary products m the hands of the producers’ co-operative companies. It was apparent from the unusual number of vacant benches on the Government side that the result would be close, and this was confirmed in the Chairman of Committees’ announcement that the amendment bad been lost by 30 votes to 29. .Mr. Nash protested that there had been an arrangement between the party whips which had not been observed. He was informed that it was arranged to put this estimate through before the luncheon adjournment. “We ought to find some way of taking one another's word,” he added. The Senior Opposition Whip, Mr. Broadfoot (Waitomo) said he had made his party’s attitude perfectly plain to the Chairman of Committees, Mr. MeKeen. “I did not know there was any hard and fast arrangement.” he said. Mr. Nash: I was told there was by one of our whips. On that understanding some Government members had gone to a conference. Mr. Coleman (Gisborne). Junior Government. Whip, said he went to the Opposition Junior 'Whip, who had said they would allow the vote to go through before 1 o’clock.

Mr. liolyoake (Opposition, Pahiatua) said it was known to Government members that the vote would be discussed in the afternoon. Some Government members had even spoken in the continued debate. Mr. Murdoch said he had intended to move his amendment before lunch, but was unable to get the floor. He disputed that there was any definite arrangement and denied that there had been any breach of faith. Whenever there had been an arrangement between the party whips the Opposition had always given it 100 per cent, backing, said Mr. Polson (Opposition, Stratford). • Air. Nash said he had been informed of the arrangement from another source. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry, said the mistake apparently bad been made on resuming at 2.30 p.m. He thought the whips should have raised the matter then. The incident closed when the Chairman said he was not concerned in party arrangements. His duty was to call on members to speak when they rose to do sa