COMPLAINT BY MEMBERS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 4 November 1933, Page 6

COMPLAINT BY MEMBERS

ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT i TREATMENT OF PRIVATE BILLS. CALLED FARCE BY MR. WRIGHT. SHARP REPLY BY MINISTER. (By TelegrapU —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. A strong complaint regarding the attitude of the Government to private members’ Bills was made by Mr. R. A. Wright, Coalition member for Wellington Suburbs, in the House of Representatives to-day when the House was considering several such Bills. Mr. P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Central) moved the committal of the British Nationality and Status of Aliens (in New Zealand) Bill. The Hon. J. A. Young said the New Zealand Government was at present in communication with the Imperial Government, which bad introduced a Bill in the House of Commons covering not only the points contained in Mr. Fraser’s Bill, but also other points, including naturalisation, on which it was desirable to maintain Empire uniformity. Mr. Fraser said that in view of the Minister’s assurance be would withdraw the Bill.

Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon), asked whether the Government’s Bill dealing with the subject would come; down next session. Mr. Young said he; would endeavour to expedite, the matter and hoped the Bill would be passed this session.

The War Pensions Bill introduced by Air. J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn) was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Defence Committee.

When the committee stages of the Summer Time Amendment Bill was reached Mr. Young said lie had been asked by the Prime Minister to state tliai? tlie matter was under consideration by the Government. It was proposed to introduce a Bill on the subject, and he suggested Mr. McKeen should withdraw his Bill in th© meantime. PREVENTING! INITIATIVE. Mr. McKeen said he had no objection to the Government taking over the amendment of the Summer Time Act, but he hoped this suggestion was not another means of shelving it. He asked whether the Government would undertake to pass the Bill this session. Mr. Fraser said the suggestion indicated a desire on the part of the Government to prevent work being initiated by private members. “It was “an unprecedented act of Government selfishness.” Mr. Wright said the move* showed what an absolute farce it was to allow private members to introduce Bills. Parliament was degenerating and this was the climax. The Bill had been discussed freely on the second reading and the member in charge of the Bill (Mr. McKeen) had agreed to a compromise, to which there appeared to be no objection. He was now being told lie was to be opposed by the Government.

“Mr. Chairman, it is because lie is a Labour member,” Mr. Wright declared. “I have fought Labour myself, but I like fair play.” Mr. Savage said lie could support what Mr. Wright had said. The Minister had made no promise that a. Bill would be passed this session. Mr. Young said that before the Prime Minister’s departure for the south he had said it was proposed ,to introduce a Bill on the subject. Mr. Forbes had not discussed the matter with him in ’detail. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East) said the suggestion before the House was mean and paltry. A PPARENT VENDETTA. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe said Mr. Wright had used language that he would not have used had the Prime Minister been present. He was apparently conducting a vendetta, against the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. Mr. Cobbe expressed the opinion that Mr. Wright’s language was ungentlemanly The Minister added that he had no knowledge of any antagonism towards the Labour Party, and he considered there was nothing to be gained by the complaints that were being made. Mr. C. Carr (Lab., Tirnaru) said Mr. Wright was “too old a dog to learn new tricks,” and any ungentlemanly language that he might have used—and he (Mr Carr) did not admit that Mr Wright had used ungentlemanly language—must have come from his former association with the Government.

Mr. Wright said the language lie had used had been in accordance with the Standing Orders. It had not been ungentlemanly and lie would have used it had Mr. Forbes been present. He would, use it anv time he liked. “1 am afraid of nothing and of nobody,”

lie said. “The language I used was not one bit too strong for the state of affairs that we are facing.” After further discussion Mr. McKeen agreed to withdraw the Bill in the meantime on the assurance that a Government Bill would be introduced.