WHY THE HURRY?

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 58, 10 March 1933, Page 5

WHY THE HURRY?

ME. KYLE ROUSED

POULTRY BILL SURPRISE

j "WILL CONSIDER POSITION"

'. A warning to the Government that he would have to consider his: position ii the Poultry Amendment Bill, pro- - viding for the registration of poultry- *" keepers, was passed, was given by Mr. - H. S. S. Kyle (Government, Riccarton) in the House of Representatives last : evening. Mr. Kyle is the Chairman of ;.' the Agricultural and Pastoral Commit- . tee, which reported against the Bill, _ and in a heated speech he protested : against the Government proceeding with the measure when everybody : ; thought that it would not be considered - again this session. -.' "I am in an invidious position," he ; said, ''and I shall have to consider , whether I am going to remain Chair- "; man of the Agricultural and Pastoral ] Committee. I believe I have brought • in a report in sympathy with the evidence, but I am not going to play on " the outfield all day and every day." He said he had supported the Government, when its proposals did not agree ; with hisr own, and he wanted a little ; bit of support from the rest of his colleagues. "We have heard the Prime " Minister talk about, loyalty to the i ' party," he remarked. ' - • - Yesterday, continued Mr. Kyle, an ' undertaking was given that "if the •'. House got through a; certain amount of ; legislation members, would be able to. - return to their -homes. Why the j immediate-hurry for the passage of the •- Billf. Certain .members who had supported hini in the Committee were'not in the House now, having gone'home; they had no idea that the Bill "was coming on. ■■'•'■' "I say fair play, is bonny play," continued Mr. Kyle: "If the Government were loyal to me and to the other members, they should have let the Bill remain-over till next session. I intend to consider my position if this Bill goes through. I would advise the Government now to withdraw, and get the parties together during the recess. I want to ask the Minister rf Finance where his last Minister of Agriculture was on the same subject; I know wl*at '~ he told the poultry organisations, Had •;' _.<- been here we would never have had — this Bill before the House now, .. but because we have the present Minister, ' who was willing to do anything when j __ he took office, we have tho Bill." £. . ; .-."'■ £ Mr. Kyle said that as a Government j ___ member he did not ask for many privi-j _S leges; he. did not get any. , "I evenj X asked for three J-P.s^'hesaid. _"I did j '? no' get them." I got another gentleman i • who was tecommendedby someone else;>- ---~ I; know the Prime Minister- does not; £ want the Bill." ■'..'' :"'-'' ! _£ He,.protested against the Govern j £ merit brinjging; in the Bill after the A. i »•' arid' P_ Committee had reported un-! " favourably upon it. He would guarantee j '•' '■77 that n0t.4000 out of the 150,000 poultry-. '+ keepers'in the .Dominion would support . _..- th> measure as it was brought <!own in ; the first place. His attitude in giving' • his casting vote was directed by''the.,;-] *■' weight, of evidence, arid those .who,had ■'. 'heard the evidence gave .their decision 7 on the.Bame lines:.- The., member for . Stratford (Mr. W. J. Poison)'had been electioneering in Motueka most of tho' - time, and did not hear the evidence. <-■ ' Mr. Poison: That is not the case. ; "MOST ITODEMOCKATIO BILL." ' ,Mri Kyle said he was not opposed" to /the industry organising, 'but - the ;> organising should/beidorie bySthose.who ■ ' .-were making their living f rom- pouitry- • keeping, and not by those who kept a /■few fowls. A. sum of_El67« was to • be' got out of what was .termed the . industry itself. It was the most hn7-. democratic Bill ever brought' before .the House, and compared unfavourably ' in that respect with Dairy Board and . Meat Board legislation. A poll should be taken to ascertain whether all poultry-keepers would join the scheme. . He contended that owners of large ' flocks should pay on a graduated basis. Twenty per cent, of the fees to be: collected would be retained by the ■ Post Office as a charge for collecting- "' theiri. He further claimed that the /.exemption should be raised to'so fowls. '.The Bill meant, also, that there would probably be an attempt to fix the local - > price of eggs,' He contended that there was sufficient legislation on the; Statute Book already to enable the poultry-keepers to export their produce. The evidence before the Committee was overwhelmingly .against the measure.