PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 August 1925, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (by TELEGRAPH vrf.HS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, Aug. 25. The House of Representatives met to day at 2.30 p.ni. The Hon. W. Noswortliy said he had received from the Board of Agriculture their report on agricultural education. Cabinet, had partially considered the report, and when that, consideration was complete lie presumed it would he laid before, the House.

The Hon. Sir R. 11. Rhodes, in reply to a question, said it was not true that the Government had endeavoured to hamper the Zenith Artificial Limb Company. On the contrary, the Government had done a great deal to assist the company in its operations. Sir R. H. Rhodes gave notice of his intention to introduce the Life Insurance Amendment Bill

The Prime Minister (Hon. J. G. Coates) moved that on and after Wednesday, the 26th hist., Government business .should take precedence. Mr G. W. Forbes (leader of the Opposition) asked the Prime Minister if he would state what business lie proposed to proeeed with. That course was usual at, this, stage of the session. The Hon. ,T. A. Hanan (Invercargill) protested against rushing the business through this session. It was- being done in order that a snap election might be brought off in the interests of one party. It was making Parliament look ridiculous in the eyes of the people that important problems should be shelved merely to let the Government go to the country at a. time which suited itself. Mr D. G. Sullivan. (Avon) objected to the rights of private members being taken away so early in the session. There were several important Bilk on the order paper which must be killed if the Government did not take them- up. For some of these measures the country was waiting-, and he asked members not to sacrifice their rights to suit the convenience of the Government.

Mr W. A. Veitcli (Wanganui) said the Government should not propose to take- away the rights of private members until its policy Bills were before the House. So ‘far they liad nothing but .the most nebulous legislation ever put before Parliament. Compared with the Government measures so far- put before the House there were a number of priyate Bills on the order paper of far greater importance. The Government wasi trying to avoid defeat this session by introducing no legislation, and as the principle was wrong he hoped members would resist this motion until the great national problems awaiting solution were solved., Mr H. E. Holland (leader of the Labour Party) said the Prime Minister ought to tell the House whether lie proposed to hold the election before the opening of the Dundin Exhibition, oi at least tell members-what time they were likely to have to get round their electorates. That was information members would like ‘to have and ought to have. The Prime Minister said this was by no means the most useless session in the history of the New Zealand Parliament. This was the ninth week of the session. There were fifteen Government Bills on the order paper and fourteen others on the way, some of the more important being the Taxation Bill, Funding of National Debt Bill, Land Bill, Coal Mines Bill and Pensions Bill. With regard ■to the Licensing Bill, he would make a statement at a later stage of the session. The motion was not being moved earlier this year than usual. All the local Bills had been cleaned off the slate, and he referred in detail to privat members ’ Bills before the House, some of which, he said, would have to go by the board, while others were being provided for by Government Bills. With regard to the date of the election, he was quite unable to say when that would be. but he could assure the House that the Government, was not going to take advantage of. members, There would be no rush election, but it did seem to him that the countiA should have an opportunity to say whether or not the people liad confidence- in the Government at the earliest possible moment. With regard to legislation on the subject of meat trusts, he could not say what would be done', but he had found that it would not, he possible to lay the report of the Vesty Commission on the table this week. Tt. was a huge document and would take ten days to print. Tt therefore could not be laid, on the table before then. With regard to the business of the session, he*"would go into the question of Bills to be brought down and would, make a statement in the course of a few days. On the motion being put a division was called for, the result being: For the motion 32, against 2S. On the motion of the lion. G.. ,T. Anderson, the Rent Restriction Continuance Bill was introduced and read a first time. The House rose at 2.5 a.in. till 2.30 p.m. f