END OF SESSION

Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 87, 5 November 1936, Page 3

END OF SESSION

ALL NIGHT SITTING Stating that he did not want the House turned into a burlesque, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) moved that progress be reported when the third clause of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Amendment Bill was under discussion at 5.15 on Friday morning, and the House adjourned at 5.20 till 10.30 a.m. When the House resumed at 7.30 o’clock on Friday evening, it was faced with a formidable programme, including the Committee stages of the Statutes Amendment Bill, and the passing of the Native Purposes Bill, the Chatham Islands County Council Empowering Bill, and the Dentists Bill. These measures were completed at 1.40 a.m., and the Prime Minister asked the House to pass the Ashburton County Rivers Bill and give further consideration to the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Amendment Bill. The House agreed, and the first measure was put through all stages in a few minutes.

The Auckland Milk Bill, however, met with considerable opposition froir all sides of the House, and it was not till 5.15 a.m. that the Prime Minister moved that progress be reported. This was taken after the Bill had been read a second time, and the House was in Committee on clause 3. The House consequently adjourned till 10.30 a.m. on Saturday. TRIBUTES PAID VALEDICTORY. SPEECHES

The usual valedictory speeches marked the close of the first session of the twenty-fifth Parliament of New Zealand in the House of Representatives on Saturday morning. In returning thanks to Mr Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard), the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) said they were coming to the end of the second longest session in the history of Parliament. He wanted to convey the warm thanks of the House to the Speaker for the manner in which he had presided over the deliberations of the House. Perhaps it would be said that the job was fairly easy and that Mr Speaker did not have to sentence anyone or anything like that—no one made any serious resistance to the laws of’the House. But when all was said and done, the Prime Minister did not think there was any session in the history of Parliament that could show more far-reaching legislation. The Rt. Hon. G. J. Coates (National, Kaipara): Hear, hear! The Prime Minister: To think that 1 am in agreement with the Rt. Hon. gentleman at the close of the session is delightful. We have had all the elements of a first-class donnybrook, but • it has never taken place, and to some extent, Mr Speaker, you are respon- ' sible. Unless we had some one in charge of the House whose decisions were seriously observed, we would soon be into difficulties. For that reason you have maintained the high tradition of the office, and I trust that good health will enable you to preside over the deliberations of Parliament for many years to come. Referring to the Chairman of Committees, Mr E. J. Howard, the Prime Minister tendered him his heartiest thanks. “He has been merciful ” Mr W. J. Polson (National, Stratford) : He has been just, anyhow. The Prime Minister: We seem to get along very well—. Mr Coates: A good chap! Mr Polson: One of the best. The Prime Minister: He is more than a good chap. I have sat with him at conferences when he has been chairman, and I booked him as the most capable chairmn in this Dominion. He hs presided over the Commit- , tee of this House, and has done it with ' credit to himself and to Parliament. Mr Savage then paid the customary tributes to the officers of the House, aud then turned to the Leader of the Opposition (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and his fellow-workers. Mr Coates: Comrades. Playing the Man

Mr Savage said he had a tribute to pay to the Leader of the Opposition*. He felt it was a grand thing to be able to meet an adversary in mortal combat and play the man right through. “I am bound to say that the Leader of the Opposition has been able to reach that height. 1 could not say anything less than that. He always meets trouble with a smile and an opponent with an outstretched hand. The man who can come into battle with me and play the part of a man—well, I will always raise my hat to him in defeat or victory.” He added his thinks on behalf of his colleagues for the good feeling that had existed throughout all the activities of the House. In reply, Mr Forbes said that he could say that courtesy and fair treatment had been extended to the Opposition by the Prime Minister personally and the Ministers of the Crown. It was something they appreciated very much indeed. He extended to the Prime Minister the good wishes of the Opposition on the occasion of Mr Savage’s visit to the Coronation. “He goes to the Coronation with the good wishes of every member of the Opposition,” said Mr Forbes. Mr Forbes also endorsed the Prime Minister’s tribute to Mr Speaker and the Chairman of Committees. Legislation Reviewed Mr Coates said he did not want to throw any sand in the wheels, but he wanted to refer to certain aspects of the legislation passed. He said that democracy was a very sacred trust in the hands of the people. Those on the Treasury benches had a tremendous responsibility. They had to use their good judgment and take proper heed that those opposed to them were not driven to that point of desperation that bred such unfortunate results. Some of the legislation passed this session would bear very hardly on a number of citizens. Jle reviewed the main legislation during the session and remarked that a number of good citizens in city

and country had been unfairly taxed, and that would react upon the country generally.

The Reserve Bank Amendment Act, he said, placed the control of finance in the hands of the Government through the Minister of Finance, and the State Advances Corporation had been changed by the abolition of the share capital. Here again there was complete absorption of that institution by the Government. Mr Coates also referred to the legislation providing for guaranteed prices, the increased pensions, the Industrial 'Conciliation and Aribtration Amendment Act, coupled with compulsory unionism, which he said was whollly undesirable, and the Industrial Efficiency Act, bringing about an entirely new outlook, the changes in the control of transport, and the question of broadcasting. He added that he wondered as he looked at the programme of the present Government at the last election, and compared it with the policy carried out whether the people really believed that that policy would be put into operation.

Mr Coates concluded by expressing his thinks to the Prime Minister for his many kindnesses, and also paid tributes to Mr Speaker and the Chairman of Committees, who, he said, had done a good job of work, and done it jolly well.

The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said he wished to refer particularly to the kindly and sportsmanlike way in which the Leader of the Opposition had referred to the Government side of the House and the work of the session.

Mr Forbes said Mr Sullivan, had spoken in a way that was very greatly appreciated by all on the Government side and he believed it would be appreciated by the country generality. Referring to the earlier remarks of Mr Coates, he said it would be quite unfitting for him to attempt to make any detailed reply at that stage. However, he thought Mr Coates would forgive him for saying that whatever Mr Coates might feel in regard to the legislation there was in the minds of the Government and in the whole of the Government Party the very strongest conviction that the things that had been done were things that would make for the very best welfare of the people of the country. Mr Polson: Nobody doubts that. Mr Sullivan said that if he let it go at that he thought it would be sufficient reference to what Mr Coates had said. Other speakers added their tributes and in reply, Mr Speaker thanked members of the House for the manner in which they had supported him in his duties as Speaker. He was particularly gratified that despite the necessity for sharp differences of opinion, the House had been the best-tempered one in his eight years’ experience. Mr Howard also returned his thanks.