MERELY TALK

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 25 March 1931, Page 11

MERELY TALK

A STEADY BARRAGE

LABOUR OBSTRUCTION

"SLOW PEOGEESS

The obstruction tactics of tlio Labour Party in the. House of Representatives, putting up a steady barrage of talk against the finance Bill—any sort of talk so long as it is kept within the confines of the various se-ctions of the Bill—are being continued on •.ve.llorganised lines, and practically no progress had been made on the measure up till this afternoon.

When the House resumed after, breakfast, Mr. W. J. Broadfoot had relieved the Chairman of Committees in the Chair, while the Minister of Labour (tho Hon S. G. Smith) was in charge of the House. ■ ! The division on the amendment moved to the short title by Mr. i\ Langstbne (Labour, Waimarino), who proposed that the Bill should be culled The Wages and Salaries Reduction Bill, instead of the Finance Biil,- «'tis taken at 9 a.m. Tho amendment, was defeated by 28 votes to 18. Mr. B..M'Keon (Labour, Wellington South) immediately moved a second amendment, that -the title be the Finance and Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill. Ho said there was no justification for the Bill, but if it was 1o become an. Act it should have an appropriate title. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): "It should have a proper head on it." "The Bill," said Mr. M'Kecn, "has cast a gospel of : gloom and dispair over the whole country." The Acting-Chairman: "What has this to do with tho amendment?" yh. M'Kcen: "I was replying to an interjection." NO WISH TO WASTE TIME. "Yv'o don't want to waste the time iof the House," declared Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central), the jiext speaker. Several voices: "Oh!" Mr, Eraser: "Apparently tho memt>er for Gisborne and Reform members are anxious to waste time. We are pot.' * I am. anxious hot to waste the ttinie' of the member for Gisborne. -l ■would like to enable him to go home and stay there. (Laughter.) I suggest to- the Minister in charge of the Bill that lie should accept the amendment. There is no principle at stake. It is jrather a question of phraseology and accurate law draughtsmanship. The suggested title conveys more accurately ithe meaning of the Bill."

The danger of a confusion of jiames tend titles was strongly stressed by Mr. Xangstone. '• "Names, wrong names, •bad navies, lead to trouble in more .■ways than one," he said. "Most of the difficulties that have been caused 5n this, world, and even in New Zealand, have been caused by names." He raid that the word "house" was an expression which denoted a common object which could not be confused with an elephant. If the amendment was ■carried there would bo "no possible, probable shadow of doubt, no shadow of doubt whatever" about the title of ■the Bill. "The racehorse owners," e.'iid the speaker, "take the greatest icare in naming their horses, and the Hacihg Conference sees that no two Ihor'ses have the sains name." (Laughter.) He said that there had been many Pinanco Bills, and the new- Bill would, only add to the confusion. It might lead to divorce and other trials and tribulations. "You know how easily arguments start," said the Speaker.

The same theme of confusion was •Further exploited- by Mr. J. M'Combs (Labour, Lytteltbn) and Mr. E. J. jfoward (Labour, Christehurch South).

Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour, Christchureh East) gave the House the benefit of his researches into previous Finance Bills.. The present title, he said, was a snare and a delusion, and >vas calculated to mislead the people. In his next speaking turn, Mr. Langfetone quoted Shakespeare to stress the importance .of names, and then resorted to. a .pocket dictionary to point out [briefly, the-meaning of "finance." Tho. Chairman was alert, and fre: fluently interrupted Mr. Langstono to Tiring him.backto the Bill -and prevent liini. .from "wandering." ."Perhaps th'c Minister can give us a jtnore ■comprehensive definition' of " said Mr. Langstono. ; "CAUSING- NEEDLESS DELAY." "I suppose wo shall be accused by ft he Press up and down the country," aeinarked Mr. H. G. B. Mason (Labpur, Auckland Suburbs), "of causing heedless delay in. regard to the title of (the Bill." United voices: "Hear, hear." Mi1. Mason complained bitterly that the Government had not given any Sreason why Mr. M'Keen's amendment was: not acceptable to it. The Minister of Labour: "Oh, yes, it has. The words are in the long title." ■ . Mr. Lahgstone: "A point of order, Mr. Chairman. The Minister is trying to trifle with tho House." Mr. Mason continued speaking, and Mr. Langstone's remark was not officially heard. Mr. Mason pointed out that there would be cases where the long title would not actually be known by people concerned in looking up the measure.- After all, the long title was xeally : a formal one, and nobody referred -to it. ' Mr. Mason laboured the point about the necessity for a clearly defined short title until it was ruled out ■as tedious repetition. "Call a rose by any other name, and Jt smells as swoot," said Mr. LangKtone, who ehided the Government for iiot giving way to a reasonable request. It was the duty of the representatives of the people to make all legislation ■understandable, respected, imd honoured, but this could not be done if there Itvas any doubt or confusion. "We look Ho the Minister, who is the Demosthones of the' House, to use his eloquence and Bay that the amendment will bo acfeepted," said Mr. Langstone. Mr. M'Keen's amendment was defeated at. 11 a.m. by 41 votes to 20. ANOTHER SUGGESTION. In a further attempt "to make more Explicit the purpose of the Bill," Mr. Chapman then moved that the Bill be called The Finance and Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. This was a convenient stage for the Minister of Education to relieve the Minister of Labour as Leader of the House. "Now that wo have a real leader in charge of the Bill,'' said Mr. J. M( Combs (Labour, Lyttelton), I ■want him to make representations to Cabinet to have the title amended." Again there was iteration of the Necessity for a distinctive title for the measure, and almost every speaker had to bo checked by the Chairman for irreleyaneies.

Mr. Howard was pulled up several for getting away from the amendment.

"I assure you I don't want to," he |old the Chairman; "it is purely my Innocence." (Laughter.)

At 12.30 .p.m. a significant exodus of SJabour members from the Chamber was followed, .by ..an appeal by Mr. Howard to whether there was a quorum, but fhe appeal failed. '*A<n-<Hrt:rage of-the procedure of the

House, "was Mr. Langstone's further comment on the title of the Bill.

After being checked by the Chairman for wandering from tho point. Mr. M' Combs apologised profusely for his breach, and drew an interjection from the Minister of Labour: "You are trifling with the Chair."

"Ignorance of the law is never an excuse," said Mr. Chapman, who followed up the plea for clarity. On throe occasions while he was elaborating his arguments ho was called to order by the Chairman for irrclevancies.

When the luncheon adjournment was taken the "stonewall," which commenced at 3 p.m. on Monday, had been in progress for 31$ sitting hours. Notice has been given by Labour members so far of no less than eighteen amendments to Clause 2, defining salary, while Independent members had notified their intention to move three other amendments to subsequent clauses. THE CLAUSE AGKEED. TO. Mr. Chapman's amendment was defeated at ?> p.m. by 51 votes to 20. The short title clause was then challenged from the Labour benches, but it was agreed to on a further division by 52 votes to 20.

(Proceeding.)