PARLIAMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 76, 11 March 1933, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

CLOSE OF THE SESSION

REVIEW BY PRIME MINISTER

THE DEBT CONVERSION Pf AN

Wellington, Mar. ID.

Moving the adjournment of the House oi Representatives to-night, the Rt. Hon. («. W. Forties said that the curtain aas being rung down on one ot the most important sessions in history. Far-reaching legislation render, ed absolutely necessary by the economic position of the Dominion had been passed, and he trusted that it would to some degree assist citizens to face the difficulties in front of them Members had experienced an arduous session but had come through it in accordance with the country’s traditions. Mr Forbes then paid tributes to the Speaker (Sir Charles Statham), Chairman of Committees (Mr S. G. Smith), and officers associated with the public buildings. He said be understood that Mr W Dasent, clerk assistant of the Houe of Representatives, was about to sever his connection with Parliament. extending over 50 years, anti he expressed appreciation of the valuable services that that officer had rendered

Mr Forbes said he considered that the New Zealand Debt Conversion Act must without doubt be placed at the head of the list of measures passed during the session, and he paid a tribute to the manner in which the Rt Hon. J. G. Coates at short notice had thoroughly grasped all the intricate details associated with tfie bills he had had to sponsor. THANKS TO MEMBERS. Concluding, Mr Forbes thanked the Leader of the Opposition and members generally for the manner in which they had assisted the transaction of the business of the session. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H, E. Holland) thanked Mr Forbes for the references to himself and his ■olleagues, and said that he could heartily reciprocate. He also desired to associate himself with everything that had been said concerning the Speaker, the Chairman of Committees and officers of the House.

Continuing, Mr Holland said that the session was ending under circumstances unique in the history of the country. He thought it regrettable that tens of thousands of citizens would heave a sigh of relief when Parliament adjourned. Many people had remarked to him that they would be glad when the session was over because they never knew what mischief Parliament would be doing next. He hoped that by the time the House met again there would be a vast change for the better in the economic conditions of the world and that this change would reflect itself in New Zealand’s own conditions. MR. COATES ON CONVERSION. Mr Coates associated hnnself with the tributes paid by Mr Forbes and r Holland Referring to the conversion, he said that Britain’s conversion of £2,080,000,(XX) had struck the imagination of, and won applause from he whole world. New Zealand’s attempt to convert £115,000,000 might look small in comparison but in proportion to the population it represented an even bigger task. Britain and Australia had carried out conversion schemes, and although the conditions in those countries were not nearly so satisfactory as we would wish, they were certainly better to the extent that lower interest rates had been secured. It was now New Zealand’s turn to take this decisive step towards putting her house in order, and she could not and would not fail in contrast with Britain and Australia. Sir Charles Statham and Mr S. G. Smith expressed thanks for the tributes that had been paid them and their appreciation of the assistance that members had given them in carrying out their duties. The session ended with the rising of the House at 7.15.