STRONG WORDS.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 9, 10 July 1931, Page 6

STRONG WORDS.

The rules of Parliamentary .debate were strained at times during the Committeo stages of the Unemployment Amendment Bill'in the House of Representatives last night, and more than onco the Chairman of Committees (Mr. W. A. Bodkin) had to call Labour members to order. , ' • '"'■•:. Tho Labour member for Wellington EasE (Mr^1 R. Scmple), in the ,course of a strong attack on the' Government, expressed the opinion that never be* fore in the history of New, Zealand had there ,been "a harder and crueller gang" on the Treasury benches.' , '. Ho was at once called to t order by the Chairman. - ■ ~ . "Very well," said Mr. Semple, "I will ■withdraw, and say that never before has such a heterogeneous 'Conglomeration of political misfits occupied the Treasury benches. I have said' it beforoj and I will say it'again. .You might as well talk to a cargo of frozen shoep.V The Chairman' asked Mr. Semple to return to the Bill. , J A little later Mr. F. L'angstonb (Labour, Wairnarino) attacked the Government for,refusing-to grant exemptions to thoso on the'lower scale of wages. The Minister of Health (tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy): "What are the exemptions in New South Wales?" Mr. Langstone: "&4 a week." Mr. B. J. Howard, (Labour, Christchurch South): "Comb again, brother." (Laughter.) , Tho Minister o.f Labour (to Mr. Laugstone): "What did you say the exemptions were?" Mr. Langstone: "Oh, tho Minister has woke up. The birds will be flying out of his whiskers'soon." The Chairman ordered Mr. Laugstone to withdraw this remark, and he complied. . ' ;