HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1913, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

YESTERDAY'S SITTING

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. The House met at 2.30 p.m. The Premier moved, in accordance with notice, "That on and after the 6th inst. the House meet on Mondays at 7.30 for the transaction of Government business.' The motion gave rise to a lengthy debate, in which the South Island members protested against the proposal as being unfair to them, while the Opposition generally contended _ that until the Government declared Bwhat measures they proposed to proW ceed with it was unfair to take from I members the time necessary for re- ' cuperation after a heavy week's work. The Prime Minister, in reply, quoted from a return to show that he was not taking Monday at an earlier date than in past years. He accused the South Island members of political laziness and of being unwilling to do their duty to their constituents. Concerning the business of the session, he pointed out that 22 Bills had been paassed and sent to the Legislative Council; four were in the third rearding stage; seven were before Select Committees; fourteen were in the second reading stage, and the Governement intend- | ed to take up Mr Hindmarsh's Distress Limitation Bill Mr Isitt (Christchurch North): Llf you have done so much, how W have we obstructed you? Mr Massey: We have put these measures through in spite of the obstruction of the hon. gentlemen opposite. So far as the termination the session was concerned, continued Mr Massey, all he could say was that he intended to stay where he was until the business of the House was completed. A division was caled for, when the motion was carried by 38 to 28. The Defamation Bill was, on the motion of the Hon. A. L. Herdman, read a second time pro forma. He proposed to send it to the Statues Revision Committee, to which Sir Joseph Ward objected.