PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 22 December 1933, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED EM URGENCY SESSIONS DEPRECATED (From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter); WELLINGTON, 21st December. The House of Representatives resumed at 2.7)0 p.m. The Supplementary Estimates were The Appropriation Bill was introduced by Governor-General's Message. Speaking on the second reading the Rt. H° n> J. 0. Coates outlined the position cf the country’s finances. The .Leader of the Opposition, Mr M. J. Savage, said that members might have hoped for some plan to lead the country out of the wilderness, u nit was needed was economic planning that would put every able-bodied man and woman to work that- would be ol value to the country. The difficulty seemed to be that the Government was unable to make plans for the distribution of what had already been produced, to say nothing of planning for the future, lie was afraid that all lire best leatures ol civilisation were disappearing. Members were returning to their homes without having made provision for those a.t the bottom of the economic scale. In a country abounding in wealth, men and women capable of rendering service wore being denied the opportunity of doing so. The representatives of the. people had failed to provide the necessary plans that would enable them to exchange necessary services with one another. “The. time is not far distant,” bn said, “when Parliament will be forced to appropriate sums of money based on the people's credit for the common good. Labour’s case calls for some answer.” Tile Rt. lion. G. W. Forbes said he hoped there would be no more emergency sessions to disturb what had been the normal practice. lie did not know when the report of the Customs Tariff Commission would be. received, or whether it would be of sufficient importance and urgency to necessitate calling Parliament together earlier than the usual time. His own feeling and that of the Government was that one. session in a. year should be sufficient. Mr Forbes said lie had given an undertaking that before the session ended he would reply to a request that those with certain ideas on currency reform should have the opportunity of placing their views before a tribunal of some standing. The Government bad agreed to appoint a committee to hear these views. Tlie people who held them would be able to state why they held such convictions. Although certain people held strong convictions oil tile question of the financial system, it did not necessarily follow that they were right. At the same time they could at least be given credit for sincerity. The report of the committee would bn made, to the Government. and would subsequently ctnno before Parliament in the ordinary way. The whole of the proceedings would be open to the press. A Royal Commission on Native Affairs would be sot up at an early date, and it was intended that ii Judge of the Supreme Court should be chairman. Tn concluding Mr Forbes said that national planning would require very rigid regulation, and lie did not believe it could be brought about with any degree of success. Objection bad been raised to even minor attempts at regulation. The Bill was put through all stages and passed, and the House adjourned at 5 p.m. till 9 p.m. When the House of Representatives resumed at 9 p.m., the Taxi Cabs’ Bill was reported from the Statutes Revision Committee with a recommendation that in view of the lateness of the session it be not allowed to proceed. Reporting on the Judicial Proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Bill, the Statutes Revision Committee reported that owing to the lateness of the session it should not be allowed to proceed this session, but that it should be introduced early next session. Mr P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central) said that the Minister of Justice should make it a matter of personal honour that this Bill should be passed next session, and the Statutes Revision Committee should assist him in every way. Mr W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) said that the committee had spent a considerable amount of time deliberating on this Bill, and had amended it in various ways, but owing to pressure of work on the law draftsman at the end of the session, it had. been impossible for the committee’s amendments to be drafted. Mr Fraser: “Not guilty, but don’t do it again.” The House adjourned at 9.12 until 11 a.m. to-morrow. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Legislative Council resumed at 3.40 p.m,, and passed the following Bills without amendments: Sales Tax Amendment- Bill, Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill, Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment,) Amendment Bill. Reserve and Other Lands Disposal Bill, Law of Libel Amendment Bill, Co-operative Pig Marketing Companies’ Bill. The Council adjourned at 5.5 until 7.30 p.m. The Legislative Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. Tlie following additional Bills were passed: Tlie Local Legislation Bill, Native Purposes Bill, Coal Minos Amendment Bill, Dairy Industry Amendment Bill, New Zealand Branch of British Red Cross and Order of St. John Empowering Bill, and Mortgagors’ and Tenants’ Relief Rill and Appropriation Bill. The Council rose at 9.35 p.m.