THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1922, Page 7

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

The third day's consideration and dis-1 cussion of the Arbitration Amendment j Bill was undertaken by the House of Representatives yesterday, and con- i tinned, until 5.30 a.m. to-day. The discussion at least was mostly confined to Labour members, with the Minister of Labour and the Chairman of the Labour Bills Committee speaking when they thought it necessary, -which was not as often as Labour thought necessary. The first clause to provoke long discussion was that limiting voting power for Court representatives. It was carried alter four hours, when the Chairman-'of Committees had furnished members for their guidance with'a list of arguments which had become threadbare. There was more or less lengthy discussion upon clauses of minor importance. Time was saved by the Minister proposing to strike out the clause depriving the A.S.R.S.. of the right to vote for -the election of Arbitration Court members. He added a new clause giving the E.F.C.A. the same registration under the Court as the«A.S.R.S. Labour members seemed to think there was some catch in this, and Mr. Howard remarked, concerning.the many amendments in the Bill that it was like Willies pants—one had difficulty in finding which was patch and which was pants. Thereafter Labour continued to produce patches from its work-basket, but neither the Minister nor the majority of the House approved these aa additions to the garment. In fact, they denied that there were holes to be patched. What was expected to be the longest discussion—that on the clause ■enabling variation of' awards—commenced at 1 a.m. Though members had previously talked very much on this subject they managed to keep going until 3.30 a.m. Even then Labour had many new clauses to add to the Bill. | Mr. Massey asked' if the Labour members proposed to go on with these clauses) and Labour suggested the postponement of botli the new clauses and _the third reading. However, Mr. Mas'sey was not in a bargaining mood, and insisted that the third reading must go on. So the new clauses went on almost without explanation, and almost, without discussion, but not without division, though the - divisions were reduced to some extent by taking several clauses together. Still there were sufficient divisions for some members to find it worth while to stay in the lobbies instead of making the 'journey from their seats to the lobbies and then back again. At four o'clock in the morning even such little economies of energy as these are of importance. The division bell was ringing almost continuously for over half an hour. When the third reading was carried the Bill had been discussed t by the House for 29 sitting hours. The ' House adjourned at 5.30 a.m. until 2.30 p.m.