ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 15343, 18 November 1913, Page 3

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. j PARTY vSriRIT RAISED. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 18. The Bouse, of Representatives met at 7.30 o'clock la-st night to give further consideration to Government Bills. Before ordinary business was undertaken Mi Speaker announced that from that date hj.? v-ould allow any Bill that had passed its initial stages and was called on before 12.30 a.m. to bo put through furtlvr stages at tho same sitting. This should accelerate progress if the Govenimont desire to call upon members to work overtime, tho inevitable penalty for obstnicticnal tactics earlie>" in the cession. MEMBERS INDISPOSED. Leave of absence for one week on account of illness was granted to Mt Sidey (Dun-edin,-South). Similar leave till the end ot the session was given to Mr Lnr. •ni:-o!!, member for LrUeltcm, for toe same ica-o.i. A HOr-ELESS BILL. Following tho lead given by Messrs "Webb and Fayno. who last week initiated Bills for tho purpose of gaining opportunity to dis'.uss a special subject. Sir Joseph Ward gave notice to introduce tho Public Service Amendment Bill. It may bo remembered that on Friday night, when ]i> was not given the indulgence of the Houso to discuss some grievances of Post and Telegraph officers, he wani?d the Government, leaders, who had pointed oiuthat no new matter could be introduced on tho third reading of a- Bill, that he would not be gagged. The introduction of his Bill was therefore a fulfilment of h;svaming. No one asked to karr. th. legislative object of the Bill. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE Consideration was given in' committee to the Board of Agriculture Bill (Hon. W. F. Massey). In clause 2, -nhicii provides for the establishment, of. a board of agi irulture consisting of 12 members appointed by the Governor, tho Leader of the Opposi'ion moved an amendment giving representation t.r one member each to associations <:f fruitgrowers, beekeepers, poultry breeders, and flax-millers.—Tho Prime Minister said he could not accept the amendment, u-hieh. would, in his opinion, make tile beard too expensive and too clumsy. It would also wake it "unworkable. The associations mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition would be sufficiently represented by tha nominees of the A. and P. Association. ,The inevitable debate followed, members of the Opposition arguing that the amendment was reasonable acid necessary, the Government representatives contending- the opposite. Mr Isitt spoke glowingly of how inexperienced people were, in different places, making large profits out of fruit culture tinder glass and in the open soil. What was required, he said, was to look after the interests of the "small" man. In tho course, of the subsequent talk it ■was stated that the Bill was designed wholly in the interests of the large and rich agriculturists and pastoralists. and that the Government had no sympathy with tho small man.

'Jin's was- enough to raise party licit, and presently tho spirit of MinisteunlisU was (ho fame as that that won Waterloo, "Up Guards and at "mi." The Prime Minister led the charge, and said, with some bitterness: "'Politics must have sunk to a very low ebb whan a Bill like this cannot bo discussed on its merits, •without having- the question of pa.rty politics raised. If ever there was a. democratic T>ill brought before the House it ig this. Tf I may venture to express an opinion, the men selected by the A. and P. Associations under this Bill will be men -who hays a thorough knowledge of theprimary industries of this country." Ho •went on to say that he ivm quite certain that the men selected would be those whom the associations could trust thoroughly- to represent them. "I do not say," he added, "who I sm going to select, "i shall wa.it and sco who the eight members selected are- It I eonfider the board is not sufficiently representative I f-hall endeavor to make up by the members to bo appointed by the Government anv deficiency. I should have thought that the Bill •tfould ha.vo met with general support, and I am surprised that it has much utrong opposition from members on the other side representing the farming comimmity. I am not going to put it through. It- is only an experiment. I freely admit, but I have not the- slightest doubt that it will develop. I believe that in time to come it will bo a very useful institution, and when that time comes there will be no objections to increasing the number of members, but I think that 12 members is quite enough to start with." The political -warfaro went on in the old style, several members of the Opposition taking every opportunity possible to fire shot? at the Government. " The galleries ■were full, and the oraters revelled in th", tedious skirmishing. Mr Isitt ridiculed the claim of a- few Government members to know something about rural industries. He-likened the Bill to an incubated chicken, and the Government to a mutual admiration society, all charmed with the chickens. Ho desired to know if n- man who kept on© bee could claim to bo an expert in bee farming. So he went on, and claimed for himselt that in years past he had succeeded ae a poultry farmer. After further "discussion, which was carried on at considerable length, Mr Massey told tho House that he was going to put the Bill through that night. Sir Joseph Ward intimated "that tho Opposition wanted to know what business the Government were going on with this session. "If we are going to stay here till Christmas we are not going to hurry " lie added. " '

The Prime Minister retorted that he was prepared to go on until June. Sir Joseph Ward paid the Opposition were entitled to speak on anv subject they- liked and at any length. The Prime Minister had done the same thing nianv times in his capacity as Leader' of the Opposition. Mr Massey: "I have never obstructed a good Bill." Sir Joseph Ward: "It is verv questionable whether it is a good Bill.'' _ Hon. W. F. Massey: "The country will judge.' Sir Joseph Ward : " I am not to be deterred by what the country think from doing what I think proper."" He pressed the reasonableness of his amendment. From this moment it was generally regarded that the Opposition had set "up "•, "stonewall" against the Bill. Both the Hon. W .F. Massey. who was in rharge of the Bill, and Sir Joseph Ward, who had moved the amendment, left the chamber and the discussion proceeded wearily' Near midnight the House was ;l fine picture for a cinematographs- Ma>iv members were sound asleep, n few yawned and fidgeted, and fewer still waited their turn to keep the silly game goine Y team of six occupied the Opposition benches, the galleries wero empty ami only one member listened to the speeches He was the Chairman of Committees' and had no choice in the matter. The whole business was a lamentable display of childish party politics in the twent'v-se'-ond week of a remarkable session " ' Tn^^;l 0 w m u Si o r t Jc&3ph V« Td '* amendmem was lost by 26 to 19 Mr Witty moved a further amendment providing that no member of the Choral member of the board. This w nG accepted by the Prime Minister, and ajre-d ti the voices, w It appeared then that the stonewall had broken down, and the Bill passed it, committee stage with minor amendments which wwe agreed to, was read a third tune, and passed.

FOOTWEAR REGULATION. The Footwear Regulation Bill was put through committee, and reported with minor amendments.