Monday Sessions

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 209, 21 August 1926, Page 5

Monday Sessions

For House of Reps.

TO ASSEMBLE IN AFTERNOON.

CRITICISM FROM OPPOSITION.

(Spacial to “Tribune.”}

Parlt. Buildings, Aug. 21. When the Prime Minister moved yesterday that the Housb meet at 2.30 p.m. on Monday, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H, E. Holland) made a protest. He said he could not see why the previous practice of meeting at 7.30 p.m. on Mondays should not be adverted to. The com. mittee work was considerably overcrowded at the present time, and there had been a suggestion that committees should meet next Monday afternoon. In future he was going to oppose any committee sitting while the House was sitting, because they had too many empty benches in the House. With committees during the sittings of the House it would mean that they would not have members available when important business was going on. As a matter of fact, work was being rushed too much and there was not nearly enough time for discussion. He suggested that the House should continue sitting after the Prime Minister left for the Imperial Conference. If Mr. Coates wanted certain matters dealt with before he left let them be placed on the Order Paper first. With the pressure of work they were experiencing it was utterly impossible for a number of members to go into the merits or demerits of Government measures. He. personally, worked 12 to Ifi hours a day, and on seven days of the week. If this kind of thing went on they would require eight days a week and 25 hours a day to get through the work.

ANXIETY RE LICENSING BILL. Mr. G, W. Forbes was anxious about the fate of the Licensing Bill. Members, he said, were receiving telegrams op the suoject. There seemed to be a fear that the bill would not be brought down. “The proposal to close down,” said Mr J. A. Lee, “suggests that the Government is about to depart for overseas.”

Mr. Coates said he thought he would be meeting the wishes of members in regard to Monday, but he did not wish to press the matte*. He would consider the question of what would happen in the event of his going away before the House rose, and would consult his colleagues, whom he jjad always taken into his closest confidence. In this connection the Government did not wish to pursue any driving tactics. Mr, W. E. Parry: When will the Licensing Bill come down? Mr. Coates: The hon. member will he notified in due course when the bill is introduced by GovernorGeneral’s message. Eventually the House agreed on the amended motion of the Prime Minister to sit at 7.30 p.m on Monday next. He indicated, however, that on the following Mondays the House would have to meet at 2.30.