DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 19 November 1937, Page 6

DAY IN PARLIAMENT

BILLS AND ANNUAL REPORTS i i PRIMARY PRODUCTS M ARKETING DEPARTMENT i i ! ESTIMATED DEFICIT OF £ 548.749 ) | UN- Telegraph Prose Association! WELLINGTON, This Day. i Most of yesterday's sitting of the House of Representatives was occupied iby dealing with legislation. Seven ’ 1 bills, four of which, promoted by local 1 i authorities, were cleared oIT the order paper. Important documents presented at i the commencement of the sitting included the first annual report of the Primary Products Marketing Department and the report of the Transport Department. The former gave the financial results of the first year's operation of the dairy marketing and I guaranteed price scheme. • These revealed an estimated deficit of £548,749 19s 9d in the dairy industry account for the past season. After transacting formal business, including consideration of reports from select committees, the House proceeded to deal with local bills and Government bills were taken. After a brief discussion the Companies (Special Liquidations) Extension Bill, which provides for the winding-up by the Public Trustee of the First Mortgage Freehold Security Company of New Zealand Limited, was read a second time, put through the remaining stages and passed. Consideration was then resumed in committee of the Physical Welfare and Recreation Bill, and following a discussion lasting about two hours, the Bill was passed. SECOND ARBITRATION COURT Shortly before 10 o’clock legislation was introduced by Governor-General’s Message providing for the appointment as president of the second Arbitration Court of a person qualified for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court Bench. This Bill is virtually an | amendment to the amending legislation passed last week. Urgency was taken j for the introduction and all subsequent stages of the Bill. After about half * an hour's discussion the Bill was passed at 10.30 p.m. The House then adjourn- | ed. c * 3 THE ESTIMATES 1

1 ELECTORAL DEPARTMENT , POLITICAL BROADCASTS ; WELLINGTON, This Day. The House of Representatives met > at 10.30 a.m. to-day. ; On the motion of the Prime Minister, i the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, urgency ; was granted for the passing of seven ' classes of estimates. Discussing the vote of £9842 for the Electoral Department, the Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Adam HamilIton, said that under the recommendation of the Electoral Boundaries Com- ' mission the South Island had lost a ' seat to the North Island. The readjust--1 ment of electoral boundaries in the South Island had left some huge electorates as far as area was concerned, and the South Island electorates carried an average of 380 more electors than the North Island. He thought that :t would be fair if the law had been such as to have left the seat in the South Island. Mr S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth) asked the Prime Minister if he would apply the same restrictions to broadcasting as applied to the issue of pamphlets, tickets, etc., three days before an election. The Attorney-General, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason explained that there was a popular fallacy regarding the issue of pamphlets three days before an election. The only restriction in this respect referred to mock ballot papers which might tend to mislead electors. Pamphlets and tickets could be issued right up to the day of an election. He also referred to another popular fallacy which was held, that people could not loiter about polling booths on election day. Legally, he said, one could stand there as long as he did not interfere with the people. Mr R. A. Wright (Independent, Wellington • Suburbs) urged that there should be no party politics broadcast for three days prior to an election. ; Mr J. A. Lee (Government, Grey j Lynn): “Would you also apply that io the newspaper? Would you prevent them from publishing political leading articles etc., three days before an election. Mr Wright: “Yes. I certainly would agree to that. It would only be fair that such a ban should apply to the newspapers if it also applied to broadcasting.” The Prime Minister, replying, said that he did not think it would be the right thing to do to prevent political broadcasts for three days before the elections. It would also mean that the newspapers could not say anything either, and he did not think that would be right. He did not mind what was said about hiip as long as he kpew who said it or wrote it. He thought they should have broadcasting right up to midnight on the night before an election. As far as broadcasting was concerned and the Opposition’s complaints that they were not allowed the same facilities fc%* the use of this service as the Government, he had made an offer several times that the Leader of the Opposition, or any member of it, could speak weekly over the radio as long os a member of the Government spoke either immediately before, or after. The point was that the public should hear both sides. That was a fair offer, he said, and he added t 1 at he could not stop people from saying things three days before the poll. The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui) referring to the Prime Minister’s proposal to have political broadcasts up to midnight before polling day, said that some slander might be put over the air on the night before an election and the candidate concerned would not have the right to reply. Time should be given for a person to reply to charges made against him. Mr Lee said that he would ask the Opposition just one question. How were they going to prevent a lying advertisement being published showing that the Post Office Savings Bank would be closed because the Labour Government was elected? Mr Smith said that the Opposition did not have any faith in some of the officers controlling broadcasts. The vote was passed.