UNUSUAL POSITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19736, 8 September 1927, Page 13

UNUSUAL POSITION.

OPPOSITION TO A BILL. SHORT TITLE DEFEATED. MOVE TO CONTINUE DEBATE. NO PRECEDENT FOR ACTION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] W ELLINGTON. Wednesday An unusual position arose iu the House this evening when the House went into committee on the Legislative Amendment Bill (No. 2), introduced by the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. H. E. Holland. The bill is designed to make party and other expenditure a charge against the amount which a candidate may spend in support of his candidature at an election. It also seeks to make public the amount and source of any party's funds. On the question that clause one stand part of the bill being put by the Chairman of Committees, it was challenged by the Government Whip, Mr. J. S. Dickson, and on a division K was struck out by 39 votes to 18.

The chairman intimated to Mr. Holland that under such circumstances it was customary, although not compulsory, for the member in charge of a bill to move to report progress, and he asked Mr. Holland if he would do so. Mr. Holland said he would not move to report progress. The chairman said the position was most unusual and he did not suppose it had ever previously occurred in the New Zealand Parliament. Mr.'Dickson asked if he could move that the bill be read that day six months. The chairman said that must be moved in the House. The committee then proceeded to discuss clause 2, which provides that the cost of all election advertisements published in the interests of a particular candidate should be charged to that candidate's legal election expenses. Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill) suggested to the chairman that as the short title of the bill had been struck out it was incompetent for the committee to proceed with the 'discussion on the bill. He asked that the ruling of the Speaker should be taken on the point. The chairman said although the short title had been struck out, if the second clause was carried it would be competent for anyone to move to recommit the bill and restore clause one. Mr. Dickson then moved to report progress, and discussion proceeded round this motion until Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) moved as an addition that the Speaker's ruling be taken on the question whether or not the bill could proceed after the short titlo had been struck out. This latter course was finally agreed to and the Speaker was called in. After hearing a statement of the position from various points of view the Speaker said there was no precedent to guide him in the matter, but taking what he might call a common-sense view of the position he would say the deletion of the short title by the committee as a whole was equivalent to the rejection of the bill and it would be futile to attempt to proceed with it further in face of such opposition. When the committee resumed the bill was immediately dropped. FORESTRY PROGRESS. LARGE AREA DEALT WITH. VALUE OF PLANTATIONS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Forestry matters were discussed when the report of the State Forests Department was before the House this after-' noon. Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua) said afforestation was one of the most valuable works the Government could do, as was proved by the fact that 45,000 acres of man-made forests were valued at £2,000,000. Mr. T f W. Rhodes (Thames) advocated the planting of a large area of Crown land at Mercury Bay. The Government should encourage the growing of flax by offering waste land at low rents to flaxgrowers. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said the Government had been following a wrong programme in connection with afforestation, inasmuch as it had selected areas which were too far away from cheap transit, so that when timber was ready for the rparket its cost was enormously increased by difficult transit to the market. The discussion was interrupted by the adjournment and the report was not tabled.

SUMMER TIME BILL. FURTHER POSTPONEMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Brief reference to the Summer Time Bill was made in the House this evening, when the measure was called upon for committal. Mr. T. K. Sidey, the sponsor of the bill, asked that in view of the negotiations pending, further consideration bo postponed until Wednesday next. This was agreed to. CONTROL OF SCHOOLS. AMALGAMATION QUESTION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Education matters were referred to in a question asked in the Legislative Council this afternoon. The Hon. W. Earnshaw asked whether the Government would take into consideration the question of amending the Education Act to secure unity of control and management, as well as economy and efficiency, in the branches of primary, technical and secondary education. The Leader of the Council, Sir Francis Bell, said there was provision already for bringing about unity of control of secondary and technical schools in any district where the school authorities concerned agreed to a combination. Arrangements had already been made to combine control 'n two districts, but the Government was not prepared to make combination compulsory or extend the provisions so as to include primary schools. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. PRIVATE BILL RULED OUT. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, introduced by Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South), was reached in the House in Committee this evening. The Chairman of Committees at once ruled that-the bill could not proceed because it contained an appropriation clause making a charge upon the people. Oh this bill being reported to the House it was -struck off the Order Paper.