HELD UP

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 103, 28 October 1913, Page 3

HELD UP

AUCKLAND HOLIDAY PROPOSAL LONG SITTING OF, THE HOUSE. "Stonewalls" have been prominent in the current session of Parliament, and without the slightest warning one began last night, and lasted till an early hour this morning. Local Bills were under discussion, and after one or two of minor importance had been disp*osed of the next Bill to come under notice Was the Auckland Weekly Half-Holiday Bill, which proposes to authorise a poll to determine the statutory half holiday in the Auckland combined district. At a previous poll Saturday had been decided on by a majority of 3627 votes, but sine* then the boundaries of the district have been extended, and the result is a proposal to take a fresh poll. . The opponents of the Bill urged that it was being promoted by those who were disappointed at the result of the first poll. , Several members pointed out that if the Bill was agreed to it would be at any time impossible to fix the day for the weekly half-holiday, supposing that after the day had been fixed a portion of the district changed its municipal Btanding. If the measure was carried it would create considerable unrest throughout the country. Incidentally Mr; Isitt imported a new strain into the conversation — for it was little else. He believed it would be a long time before they could convert the Saturday night into ; the Friday night. The only way, in his opinion, was to cut out exemptions. The more exemptions they made the more they increased the hardships. The motion to go into Committee on the Bill was carried by 29 to 19. , As soon as the Bill entered Committee it was evident that the hostility was going to assume somewhat serious proportions, and this was born*> out in very quick time. From all sides of the House came opposition to the measure, the chief complaint being that an attempt was being made by a Local Bill to amend statutory law, and thereby run the people of Auckland into a big expense. "Stonewall" was writ large on the proceedings long before 1 a.m., and the "stonewall" was built up in an uninteresting manner. On the other hand, it was evident that the promoters of the Bill desired that it should go through. In such caSes it is usual for a Local Bill which stands iv the way of other Local Bills to be "passed out" at a fairly early stage when the existence of succeeding Bills is threatened. On this occasion the! Committee was alloW-ed to continue the discussion of the measure in Committee, far beyond the usual limits, v Incidentally, it was suggested that the Saturday half-holiday should apply to provinces. There was no "pith" in the discussion; it 'was evidently a "hold up"— one of the dullest in the annals of New Zealand political history, and very few members had the hardihood to pretend that they were wide awake. Just about 3 a.m. Mr. Hindmarsh moved to report progress. The motion was lost by 23 to 15, and the signal was given that the Opposition was out for action. It went on to discuss the situation at great length — and the Government, as a whole, slept, or appeared to sleep, and the House wore a dull and lifeless aspect. "Hon. members laugh," said Mr. Webb, at 3.40 a.m. No one j laughed ; some snored. Daylight descended on the Chamber about 4 a.m., and at 4.30 a proposal was made that progress be reported, with leave to. sit again. That meant, in other words, that members still resented the Bill, but that they were prepared to go to bed. They went home about a quarter to five.