LINGERING IN LOBBIES

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12423, 17 April 1926, Page 4

LINGERING IN LOBBIES

• \ r NEW METHOD OF OBSTRUCTION THIRTEEN MEMBERS SUSPENDED AFTER ALL-NIGHT BATTLE By Telegraph.—Press Assn,—Copyright ’ Reuter’s Telegram. LONDON, April 15. In the House of Commons, an extraißi'dinary situation developed at 6 o’ clock in the morning, after an allnight,debate of the committee of tne House on the Economy Bill, resulting in the suspension of 13 Labpffr members owing to the invention of an entirely new method of obstruction.

Messrs G. - Lansbury, J. Wheatley, and eleven others, in a division on a Labour motion to adjourn the debate, remained in the “Ayes” lobby, joking and singing for over half an hour, thereby delaying the whole business of tho House. SPEAKER CALLED FROM BED The Ministers and the chairman of committees held a lengthy consultation, and finally called the Speaker from His bed. ,Mr Neville Chamberlain, amid a Labour uproar, moved the suspension of the 13 Labour members. The Labour Opposition thereupon adopted the same tactics, but after another half-hour’s delay the Speaker ordered the tellers to report the figures, showing that the motion was carried by 163. votes to 76. Thereupon the 13 were ordered to withdraw, and business was resumed. The House rose at 9 o’clock, in the mornihg, after sitting for over 18 hours. The House so far has passed four clauses of the Economy Bill in 36 hoUrs of Parliamentary time,- and there are 21 clauses, besides four schedules. OPPOSITION AGGRIEVED The Opposition made two further attempts at obstruction in the same manner, but the Speaker announced that he would devise a 'procedure to deal with the unusual circumstances and consult the Pritne'Minister with a view to the- amendment of too Standing Orders. The battle is being renewed this afternoon. 1 Mr George Lansbury, in an interview in regard to the suspensions, alleged that Mr Chamberlain and his colleagues adopted dictatorial, contemptuous, and insolent methods. He jarticularly complained of Mr Charalerlain’s applying the closure on Mr Wheatley in the middle of a brilliant speech, in which he denounced the Economy Bill as a “robbery of work-ing-class insurance funds in order to benefit the rich.”