SUMMER TIME BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19743, 16 September 1927, Page 12

SUMMER TIME BILL.

PASSED BY THE HOUSE

EXPECTED TO BECOME LAW. SOME WORKERS EXEMPTED. OPPONENTS' NIGHTLONG FIGHT. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAI. REPORTER. 1 WELLINGTON. Thursday. • Supported by a band of members whose active strength in the House was always rnund about 38, Mr T. "K. Sidey (Dunedin South) successfully piloted his Summer Time Bill through a stonewall in Committee last night and this morning. The third reading of the bill was carried l>y 29 votes to 14, this evening and the bill was passed. A majority in favour of ♦he bill in the Legislative Council is claimed, and it is asserted with confidence that the bill wili become law this year. The stonewall in Committee was main tnineel by a group of country members, headed bv Mr. W. S. Glenn (Rangitikei). Although these members had adopted "no surrender" as their motto, the opposition collapsed shortly after about six o'clock this morning, and the bill, with an amendment exempting shearers and threshing mil! workers from its scope, was reported at 7.5 a.m. Between midnight and one o'clock the members settled down for an all-night sitting. Some curled themselves on the benches and some moved to other more comfortable parts of the House, but always there were in attendance sufficient sup.porters to prevent a "snap" division from being taken. The oppositionists monopolized the debate Hot Weather and Thirst. Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) moved a« an amendment that the bill should be known as the Summer Time Daylight Sav ing Bill, but this was defeated by 38 votes to 14. Mr. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua) suggested the object of the bill would be made more clear if it was named the Summer Time Recreation Bill. An amendment to this effect, however, was ruled out on the ground that it was irrelevant. Mr. T. D Burnett (Temuka), who proclaimed himself "ia strict T.T. and a top liner," made an appeal on behalf of the licensed trade. He said it would be a great hardship if the bill were passed be cause a man would not be able to quench his thirst. The Minister of Health, Hon. J. A Young: But there will be the same num ber of drinking hours. Mr. Burnett: The Minister does not understand. There are conditions which piomote a thirst. The Chairman : Order! Mr. Burnett: I would like to refer to an author who described the conditions in the Sudan. The Chairman: You had better come back to the bill. Mr. Burnett: I am coming to it. This author, after describing the awful conditions of the sand storms and the burning heat, said they were all worth while if only for the thirst they aroused. (Laughter.) The Chairman: You need not pursue that subject any further. The Opposition Exhausted. Three o'clock tound the Opposition without a relay of speakers, who had not exhausted their turns, and perforce the division on the short title had to be taken. Members passed the first clause m the bill by 55 votes to 18. l'he wearying debate was then continued on the second clause. Mr. Glenn introduced a new aspect by moving thai progress be reported and that the Com mit tee ask leave to sit again. The arguments in support of the adjournment became so monotonous, however, that when dawn was stealing through the windows Mr. L. P. Lee, ruled that he would regard as tedious repetition any further reference to the health and welfare of Mr. Sidey, the sleepiness of members, that day's committee meetings, the business to be done by the House and the possibility of a compromise. The imminent collapse of the stonewall became apparent shortly after five o'clock, when the banning of topics for continuing the debate under the tedium rulings began to take effect The motion to report progress and an amendment by Mr. Lysnar were both defeated, and clause two was then passed. This was the end of the stonewall. Applause lor Mr. Sidey. The House agreed to accept an amendment, which was moved by Mr. H. Holland (Christchurch North), that shearers and gram and threshing mill-workers should work under standard time, except where the parties to the award agreed to ask the Court to make them sub lect to summer tima. Mr. Sidey also announced his accepi ance of an amendment exempting coai miners from the provision of the Ac! unless it was decided by the workers and the employers with the concurrence of the Arbitration Court that they shouM come into line with the rest of the Do minion An unusual fate met this addi tio.nal sub-clause On. Mr Sidev's re auest the House agreed to widen the amendment by making it applicable to all 'ndustrial unions Having done this. fh< House threw oat the sub-clause when the motion that He added to the bill was put Several suggested alterations tn the oeriod of the operation of the Act were defeated, and at 7.5 a.m. the bill w** reported as amended. Mr Sidey was Hnnrtily applauded when he resumed bis c eat Voting on the Hill. The division which gives the best idea of the views of the House on the ouestion was; that on the short title. This wa* carried bv 35 votes to 13. the division beingAyes—3s. Armstrong McCombs Aimore * McKeen Bartram Mason. H. G. R f?elS Mason, J. Pellr'naer Potter BikMo Ransom j Dickie Rolles'on. F. J I Hicks«n, J. S. Savage Forsyth Seddon Prase r Sidev j fiiHina Si: Hi van i fi-.rri* Svkes I rT V»l'ind. H. Witch ! "„r n • j PVuxard \\ ill pr K vie Ward ' ee. E. P. Yarng Luke Noes —18. I Rrtrhener Hunter | Burnett Jones, D. Coates f.vsnar Dickson. J. Me. Macmiftaa FU'ntt Roman* Field Rhodes Olenn Rolloston. J. C. Hamilton, A. Samuel Hamilton, J R. WiiiiamsPairs.—For the bill- Stewart, Nrata Tapley. Smith. H. E. Holland, Wright. Parry, .3. A. Lee, Wilfoni. Against tb»bffl: McLennan. Henare, Hudson, Anderson, McLaod, Bawken, W. Jones, Forbes, Uso.