THE CLOSURE.

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 149, 21 December 1921, Page 7

THE CLOSURE.

A brief discussion on Standing Orders 'occurred in the Legislative Council yesterday, when Sir Francis Bell moved :— " (1) That the report of the Committee on Standing Orders laid on the table on the 'Bth day of December, 1921, be 1 adopted, except that the orders recommended by the Committee be amended !by omitting the form of prayer to be read by the Speaker, and inserting 1 prayers shall be read by the Speaker/ and by making such verbal alterations in the orders as the Speaker authorises to be made; and (2) that existing Standing Orders and Rules of the Council relating to public business be repealed; and that the orders recommended by the Committee on Standing Orders as amended be adopted, a-nd made the Standing Orders of the Council relating to public business; and that-this order come into operation at the next ensuing prorogation of Parliament." Several members objected to the power to use the closure, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie moved the deletion of clauses dchling with the mutter. . Ifie Hon. 0. Samuel, who compiled &<

new orders, said that the old orders gave greater power in regard to the) closure. ' It was not until it wm apparent that there wm determined obstruction that the Speaker or Chairman of Committees would allow the closure to be applied. . . ' The amendment was lost by 23 to 3, and the original motion wm cwried. ' Mr. Speaker expressed his thanks to Mr. Samuel for the great work he had accomplished. The Council would now have a set of Standing Orders probably better than those to be.found in way other self-governing Dominion.