BILLS, BILLS, BILLS !

Northern Advocate, 25 October 1935, Page 6

BILLS, BILLS, BILLS !

EVERYONE HUSTLING LEGISLATION RUSHED "WHY IS TIME WASTED.” [From Our Parliamentary Special .l WELLINGTON, This Day. •Despite the valiant efforts of members to pass many minor Government measures during the last few days, fresh material has been piled up by Governor-General’s message and the climax came in the House of Representatives last night when, after five more Government bills had been advanced one stage, two more were introduced and the Opposition made a spirited protest.

“I want to know when this shower of bills is to end,” remarked Mr M. J» Savage, Leader of the Opposition. "We have been trying to help the Government, but it seems to be useless trying to help them. How much more?”

The Prime Minister, Mr Forbes, replied that there were only two more, a finance and an appropriation measure.” Mr* Savage: “I am complaining that we always get a. shower at the end of every session. Why is time wasted?” The Minister of Finance, Mr Coates: “I can assure the hon. member that there is no intention to do so. The bills have been on the stocks a long time.” Mr H. G. R. Mason (Labour—Auckland Suburbs) declared that this method of legislating made him wonder whether Parliament had any useful place in cur constitution. Was it, he asked, merely something to register what had been decided by the civil servants? He was not saying that what had been decided was not good, but it was impossible to pretend that, at the present stage of the session, Parliament could' seriously consider these measures. It is not the fair way of treating the House, he concluded. One of the new bills was the Mortgagors’ Final Adjustment Bill. "I wonder,” said the Leader of the Opposition. “if this is really a final adjustment.” _____