THROUGH THE NIGHT

Evening Star, Issue 20313, 23 October 1929, Page 2

THROUGH THE NIGHT

A STUBBORN STONEWALL The stonewall which commenced early in the afternoon was continued after the dinner adjournment. Mr Jones said ho would rather go out of the House for the remainder of his public life than see this Bill go through. It was a Bill that could not be amended satisfactorily. The sorry part of it all was that the United Party had not considered the measure and, despite their silence, there was anything but unanimity in the minds of the Government members. The galleries were crowded during the early part of the evening. The Labour Party, which was silent, was represented by only five members The Minister and the Government supporters in the Chamber were absorbed in newspapers, books, correspondence, and other things calculated to distract their attention, the stonewall by Ibis time having become oppressive!}' dull and tedious. The pressmen gave up reporting speeches at 8 o’clock, and the debate dragged on till 9.15, when the question "that the committee’s resolution be agreed to was carried. It had been debated for nearly three hours. The House then went into committee on the Bill, and settled down to an exhausting night. Reform carried on the debate vigorously, and by 11 -30 the galleries were almost empty, while the floor of the House had assumed that almost deserted, untidy appearance characteristic of an all-night sitting.' There were eight interested spectators in the galleries at midnight, when Mr Coates went out for a smoke, and Mr Bodkin was relieving Mr Smith as chairman. Seven of the twenty-five members present were asleep on the benches, and ‘The Hansard’ reporter (happily not required to record members’ speeches during the committee stage) was reading a book. Tire ‘sewing guild ’ had long departed from the women’s galleries, but one lady journalist was still in her reservation, though her pen was idle.