"NO NONSENSE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 106, 6 May 1936, Page 12

"NO NONSENSE"

OPPOSITION TACTICS

3ER, SAVAGE FIRM

CLOSURE TO OPERATE

BROADCAST CANCELLED

Frequent applications of the closure will be the order in the House of Representatives today and tonight, when the House resumes its consideration of the Primary Products Marketing Bill. This will be brought about as the result of the action of the Opposition early this morning in moving an amendment to the second reading motion.

The Prime Minister (ihc Rl. Hon. M. J. Savage) stated this afternoon that the House had reached a critical stage in its proceedings, and the Government was not going to stand any nonsense on the part of the Opposition. «

"We are going to get the Bill through, no matter what the Opposition might do," said the Prime Minister, "and that means that we shall have to use the closure. We shall not hesitate to do it, both in the House and in Committee."

Mr. Savage was reminded that this would mean that the Minister of Finance would be denied the opportunity of replying to the debate. He agreed, and said that the arrangements made for this evening to broadcast the speeches of the Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and Mr. Nash had been cancelled.

"That means," said Mr. Savage, "that the■; public will be deprived of the right, tonight at least, to listen to a summing-up of both sides, but it does not mean that the Government will be deprived of the right to broadcast. If the Government's case cannot be stated over the air from the House, it will be stated over the air from my room."

TELLING THE WHOLE STORY.

The Prime Minister said that attempts iverc being made to belittle and discredit the Government, but he was not going to stand for that sort of thing.. The public would be told the whole story. A wrong impression was being placed before the country as to the effects of the legislation.

The Prime Minister said that urgency would be taken for the passage of the Bill today, and that meant that the House would sit just as long as the Government wished.

"We will put the Bill right through at one sitting- if we desire to do so," he said, "and present indications are that that will be our desire. The Opposition will get tired before we will. We will not hesitate to use the closure to get the Bill through."

Indications are that the House will sit all night and probably well into tomorrow.