HOUSE WASTES TIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20309, 17 July 1929, Page 13

HOUSE WASTES TIME.

TACTICS OF GOVERNMENT.

MEMBERS MAKE PROTESTS. WAITING FOR LEGISLATION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL B.EPOETEK.] WELLINGTON. Tuesdaj. j The responsibility for prolonging the Address-in-Replv debate beyond reason- | able limits must definitely be charged to j the Government after the tactics em- : ploved in the House this afternoon. Once again the sparring for time method ; introduced last Wednesday was revived, j ana papers were presented with the object of provoking a discussion that . would while away an hour or tivo. The | annual report of the PBnsions Department : served the Government's ends on this j occasion, and the whole afternoon tvas i occupied in discussing the subject. "Apparently the Government is not i readv with its legislative programme, j commented Mr. A. M. Samuel (Thames), i The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward): ; Oh, yes, we are. Mr. Samuel: Apparently the Govern- i meat, is not ready, otherwise this report j would not be brought down during the | Address-in-Reply debate. If the Government hoped to draw j Labour by the ruse of introducing the j subject of pensions it succeeded m very > small measure. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auck- . land Central) explained Labours attitude. | "I have a strong desire to speak to ! this report, as I have always done on j previous occasions," said Mr. Pany. j "However, in view of the unprecedented ! unemployment situation, I think it only j fitting that members of this House should j forgo a discussion on this subject at this j stace as it can be fully dealt with on the j Budget debate. In view of the assurance j of the Prime Minister that legislation is j ready I am going to give way in this ! discussion." j Mr. E. J. Howard {Christ, church South') was the only other Labour i speaker and he was exceedingly brief. ] Once during the discission Mr. Samuel | introduced the seemingly fatal word j "stonewall." but withdrew the term at j the Speaker's request. Replying later, Mr. Yertch said it was j required that the report should be pre- ; seated. It would hav© been impertinent j on the part of the Government to have ; endeavoured to prevent a discussion on j the report, yet the Labour Party had ; questioned the Government's motives in presenting the report at that staze. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. ! H. E. Holland): We only suggested it j would be better to finish the Address-in- j Reply debate first. Mr. Teifch: But the honourable gentle- ■ man is not. yet responsible for regulating ; the procedure of this House.