FIRST DIVISION

Evening Star, Issue 22308, 7 April 1936, Page 8

FIRST DIVISION

LABOUR'S THIRTY-FIVE MAJORITY JOCULAR AMENITIES [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] .WELLINGTON, April 6. Cheers from the “ ayes ” lobby of the House of Representatives about midnignt signalised that the tellers had counted the total of the Governments support in its first division, which it won with a majority of 35, and the Reserve Bank Amendment Bill was read a second time. The 51 ayes included Messrs Rushworth, Sexton, and Atmore, while Mr M'Dougall had given a pair favourable to the Bill. The minority of 16 comprised the Nationalists, reinforced with Mr Poison, who objected to political control, though favouring the Bill’s principles, and Mr Wright (Independent member for Wellington Suburbs) . Counting the heads in the “ ayes ” lobby was a long process owing to the large numbers, and during the wait a Minister, who came back after voting, had a jocular exchange with the Leader of the Opposition who, unperturbed by the result, gave happy replies and went across to the Minister of Finance for a chat.

A reminder that there is on the Statute Book an Act which could convert the Legislative Council into an elective body was given by Mr Kyle, who has formed the habit of regularly putting provocative questions to the Government. He asked if the Prime Minister would issue the necessary order-in-coun-cil, seeing the Labour P.arty believed in Government of, for, and by the people. “ Quite clever,” commented Mr Langston© (Minister of Lands) amid general laughter.