WORKING SLOWLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14486, 28 September 1910, Page 8

WORKING SLOWLY.

THE LEGISLATIVE MACHINE. A SPEEDING-UP PROPOSAL. [BY TEL3CRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Tuesday. A sure indication that the stress which characterises the later end of the session has arrived, was contained in a motion, carried by the House of Representatives to-day, to the effect that new business may be taken after 12.30 o'clock at night. In moving in this direction the Prime Minister said Parliament had been proceeding much more slowly than usual. The total number of Government Bills passed this session was seven, including Imprest Bills, and the number of private and local Bills passed was six. It was a very small resist to achieve in the time. The Government proposed to put its policy Bills through this session, and for that reason, unless the session was to last an inordinate length, it would be better to adopt his proposals. He believed that his proposal would commend itself as a necessary one. Mr. Massoy (Leader of the Opposition) said he was very. sorry the Prime Minister had moved this motion, but he had no intention of delaying business in discussing it. If the majority of members were willing to agree to the motion, the responsibility was theirs. If the business had been taken in a proper manner there would have been more progress during the first and second weeks of the session. Mr. Massey asked what the Government intended to do in the way of business. They said they intended to go on with policy Bills, but that was a very comprehensive term. He declared that if driving tactics were intended, he would not consent to them, Mr. Ilerries (Tauranga) declared that the proposal now made was a sign of weakness. This was the first Government that had ever - made such a suggestion. Members of the Opposition had done all they could to help the Government with the business of the session. Mr. Russell (Avon) regretted the necessity for the motion. He did not intend to sacrifice his health by sitting up night after night. He did not wish to criticise the manner in which the Government had arranged the Order Paper, but it appeared to him that time after time subjects had been brought on with the deliberate intention of creating a discussion that would otherwise not have taken place.

In reply, Sir Joseph Ward said a similar motion had been carried in. 1908, and on occasions during the time of the late Mr. Seddon. Already 56 Bills had been introduced. Since the opening of Parliament the House had only sat 25 times, for a total of 27 hours 21 minutes after midnight. Then, again, the average length of a daily sitting since the opening of the session was eight hours. To the Opposition he would say, "Put your own house in order." It was shocking, wretched, deplorable, and distressing to see the degeneracy that had gone on in the ranks of the Opposition. (Laughter.)

On a division, the motion was carried by 51 votes to 25.