PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 20 September 1929, Page 15

PARLIAMENT.

.WORK OF THE HOUSE.

ANOTHER DULL DAY.

XI) LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS.

THK ESTIMATES TO-DAY.

fr.v TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. Another dull day passed in Parliament to-day. In tho afternoon the .Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, had the Standing Orders suspended to secure enlightenment on tho Government's attitude on tho question of signing tho optional clause to tho Court of International Justice. It must bo conceded that tho discussion did proceed on broad national lines, to uso a phrase dear to tho hearts of politicians, but a two hours' discussion iwas rendered unessential, as tho evening papers arrived during tho debato and brought the news desired by the Labour Party—definite advico that Now Zealand would that day sign the optional clause. Thus tho attempt of the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, to claim secrecy on that point of Government policy was made of no avail. True, Sir Joseph did armounco that New Zealand would sign with certain undisclosed reservations, but the intimation was drawn from him toward the close of the debato and not on tho occasion of his earlier contribution to the discussion.

An unexpectedly long debate arose in the evening on tho Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill, a simple moasuro to set tho legislative seal on the settlement of a long-standing dispute between the two Marlborough Jlosptial Boards. Mr. M. J. Savage (Labour —Auckland Suburbs) opened a large question when he recalled tho expressed views of the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, on tho question of private wards in public hospitals. That subject and not the contents of the bill was dealt with by numerous speakers, with the result that tho rest of the evening was devoted to tho question beforo the bill was read a second time.

The House will spend another day on the Estimates to-morrow.

SURPRISE FOR. MEMBER.

PRIME MINISTER'S REMARK

THOUGHT HE WAS ASLEEP.

{by telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON, Thursday.

The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, figured in an amusing incideut in the House this evening on the> second reading stage of the Hospital aud Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill, designed to settle a Marlborough dispute. Several members had seized the opportunity to discuss general hospital matters, and meanwhile the Prime Minister was reclining in his place, his feet on liis bench and his hat shading his eyes. Mr. J. A. Nash (Reform —Palmerston) was speaking when tho Prime Minister suddenly broke in with tho * remark : "Let us get on with tho bill." Mr. Nash was taken aback. "Oh, have you woken up?" he said in surprised tones. "I resent that remark. The right honourable gentleman is nsually so courteous to members 6f the House and I hope he will go to sleep again." Amid the laughter Sir Joseph was heard to say he had not been sleeping.