DULL DAY IN THE HOUSE

Evening Star, Issue 20876, 20 August 1931, Page 6

DULL DAY IN THE HOUSE

FUSION OR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT [Fkom Ovk Pabuauxktakt Ebpomm,] WELLINGTON, August 19. The small attendance of members during the major part of to-day s sitting of the House showed their lack of interest in the continuation of the Financial Debate, but there was no dearth of speakers, and the discussion had not ended when the House rose at 10.30. „ . , , Most of the afternoon had been spent in a somewhat academic discussion on breach of privilege, following the committee's report which was adopted, recommending no turther action in the case raised by the member for Waikato in respect to an Auckland tea firm and the New Zealand ‘Herald.’ Discussion centred around the definition of what constitutes breach of privilege, and the matter is to be considered by the Standing Orders Committee, which may furnish opinions for the guidance of members of the public who may venture to criticise Parliament under risk of breach of the Standing Orders, When the independent member for Egmont (Mr Wilkinson) favourably discussed Mr Forbes’s National Party offer he encountered many hostile interjections from Labour and Reform members. Mr Samuel, from the Reform benches, suggested that the Prime Minister should issue a concrete invitation to all parties in the House to join in gome form of National Government, failing which a committee be constituted to deal with the serious position of the country on the basis of equality of sacrifice. The Reform members had a unique party meeting after the House rose to-night, when they attended in the Whips’ room at a private meeting to hear an address by Professor Copland, the New Zealander, who holds the position of Professor of Commerce at Melbourne University. It is understood that Professor Copland, who is credited with the authorship of the Commonwealth scheme for the reduction of internal loan interest in Australia, discussed the economic position of both countries, and world factors which are causing difficulties in governmental finance.