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Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 215, 25 August 1927, Page 4

The Prime Minister said he quite believed that for cities and boroughs the bill would be welcomed, but for the people in the country, who were struggling settlers, the position seem ed to him to be impossible. He pictured people in the baek-blocks having to carry their cream out on horseback and arriving at the railway station too late to catch the trains, which must be run in accordance with the summer time of the hill. He felt if it was carried into law it was going to be a tremendous hard ship to a class of people who were doing the real work of the development of the country. Mr Sidey was showing weakness with the bill by making exemptions. He had left certain people out, and that was a mistake. He thought he should have stood four square and treated al) classes alike. He was afraid Mr Sidey was trimming the bill to get it through in some shape or form. Mr Sidey explained that all the concessions he had agreed to were agreed tv last year, and were not new. The only way to test the objections to the bill was to give It a trial, and all he asked for was a trial for three and a-half months. If the objection to it were sound, then the bill could not survive. Up to midnight the opposition to the bill showed *o signs of abatement, the hardships of the country settlers being persistently stressed upon an al most empty House by opponents to the measure. FARMERS’ HARDSHIPS. The committee discussion was con tinned hy u section of the country members, the hardships of farmers still being the theme of their objection.

Mr. J. R, Hamilton (Awarua), after denouncing the bill, moved to report progress but on a division this was rejected by 38 votes to 19. Mr. D Jones (Ellesmere) said the bill would abrogate the awards of the Arbitration Court and would lead to complications when the amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbi tration Act came before the House later in the session. He urged that objection to the bill would cease it provision were made that railways should run to standard time. Mr T. W. Rhodes (Thames) argued that if coal miners were to be exempt from the bill the same exemption should apply to gold miners. Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei) declared the bill would mean a civil war between cropping farmers and their employees while the exemption of the threshing industry was a farce because most of the threshing was done after March. THE WORD “TIME." At this stage, the Hon. A. T. Ngata, without giving reasons, moved to strike out the word “time” in the short title of the bill, with a v view to inserting another word The debate then switched on to the question of whether the word “time * should or should not be retained, those favouring the retention arguing it was a pity to mutilate a well-thought-out title and those in favour of the deletion contending that “Summer Bill" was something bright and more cheerful than “Summer Time Bill.” Others turned the discussion into a missing word competition occupying considerable time : n speculations a B to what the substituted word should be. Mr. Sidey announced that he would not accept the amendment. The cryptic nature of the amendment had roused the suspicion of other members, who. in the absence of explanation, would also oppose it. At 5.15 the chairman intimated that he would not permit further suggestions for substitute words for “time" and reasons must be given for the retention or elimination of the word “time." At 6.20 the discussion on the Hon. A. T Ngata’s amendment, which had heen mainly carried on by Messrs W. S. Glenn. A. M. Samuel. W. T. Rhodes, W. I). Lysnar. and W. T. Field, came to an end. a division resulting in the word “time" being retained by 36 votes to 18. Mr Glenn then resumed the discussion on the short title, contending that as a result of their all-night sitting the largest meetings of protest ever held by New Zealand farmers would be held that day. At 6.50 o’clock Mr Sidey made an appeal to the miporitv that having made their protest thev should allow the hill to pass and give it a trial. APPEAL SUPPORTED. Tho Prime Minister supported Mr. Sidev’s appeal He did not believe in the hill hut he had to recognise that there was a majority of two to one in the House against them, and they should he Careful how thev used the forms of the House to defeat the will of Parliament. Everything had to be done with a sense of proportion and he suggested that during the breakfast adjournment an effort should be made to come to some reasonable arrangement. At 7 o’clock the Chairman of Committees left the chair, announcing he would resume at 9 o’clock. SITTING ADJOURNED. When the committee of the House resumed at 9 o’clock, Mr. F. F. Hockly. Chairman of Committees, announced that instead of continuing the discussion as anticipated he would adjourn the sitting and resume at the ringing of the bell. This step is understood to be taken in consequence of the death of the Hon. R F. Bollard this morning. PROGRESS REPORTED. When the committee resumed at 9.30 Mr. Sidey moved that the coni mittee report progress on the Summer Time Bill and ask leave to ait again This was agreed to. On the Speaker taking the chair the Prime Minister, speaking under evident emotion, said that owing to the bereavement (the death of the Hon. R. F. Bollard) of which every member was aware, he felt it necessary to ask the unanimous consent of members that the House ahouid adjourn. There were several com plications to be arranged and he felt it better that any formal contributions which members might desire io make to the memory of the deceased \ could be made to-morrow. None of them were at that moment quite in a state of mind to express themselves as they would like to do. Concerning the business of the House, he wished to say that it was the desire of the Government to nut Mr Sidev’s bill in the same position as it was at 9 o’clock this morning, and he would have to ask the unan' moils consent of the House to agree that it be given a day to be arranged next week which would be done after a conference with the leaders of all parties. Mr. Holland said he was sure the House would agree to the proposed arrangements. Members were not in a position to express their feelings at that moment, and the position would be met hv the suggestion of the Prime Minister. It wa s agreed that the committee should meet at the discretion of the chairman and the House rose at 9.40 till 2.30 to-morrow