"MAKING NO PROGRESS."

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 7

"MAKING NO PROGRESS."

"We are making tio p'rogr^ss. Practically nothing has been done to-day," protested the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives at 12.30 a.m. to-day, when it was suggested by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M.. wilford) that further consideration of the Estimates might be postponed. Mr. Wilford felt that good work had been done during the sitting. At the outset of liis remarks, Mr. Massey was facing the Opposition benches and looking at Mr. Watford and Mr. Sidey. "Of course/the Prime Minister is not addressinsr either Mr". Sidoy or myself specially," smilingly remarked Mr. Wilford. "Oh, no," replied Mr. Massev, "I am addressing the Chairman." Mr. GJ Witty (Kiccarton): "Would you mind addressing the House?" Mr. Massey (turning in the direction of Mr. Witty) : "I shall address the leader of the Independent Party." (Loud Liberal and Labour laughter.) | Mr. Witty: "Would you mirid addresslt'g the House?"

Mr.. Massey complied, and declared once more that progress was exceedingly slow. Finance Bills he wanted to get through, but he was not troubling so much about the others. "Until we get the Finance Bills through," he added, "it will hot be possible for ihe to give the necessary attention to the ■ Electoral Bill."

There was some wild lau^hfer at this statement.

"Oh, yes," observed Mr. Massey, "as soon as the Finance Bills are through, I will give attention to the Electoral Bill. But we shall have to hurry up. Members know" that it usually takes four or five nights to get through the Estimates, but at the rate we are going it \yill take seven or eight."