MATTER OF URGENCY.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19276, 13 September 1924, Page 15

MATTER OF URGENCY.”

THE ALL BLACKS. (From Our, Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 12. In the House of Representatives almost daily extraordinary liberties are taken by members who are apparently desirous of getting the swoet uses of advertisement by asaing questions of supposed urgency without notice. Mr (Speaker has to dapoud upon mo assurance of the member asking the question that it is one of urgency. As a matter of fact, many of tlie question so asked are of no urgency whatever. The Standing Orders, however, permit the asking of such questions once tho member has assured Mr Speaker that the matter is of urgency It then remains for tho particular Minister to whom the question is put to say whether he will answer it or not, and almost invariably he does answer it. A noticeable instance this session was a question put to the Prime Minister by Mr Bdie (the member for Bruce), who wanted to know whether the Government would send a cablegram congratulating the New Zealand parliamentary delegates upon their safe arrival in South Africa. Needless to say, no such cable message 'was sent. Shortly after tho House met to-day the member for Masterton (Mr Sykes) informed Mr Speaker that he wished ta ask the PostmasterGeneral a question without notice. “Matter of urgency?” quened Mr e s’- said Mr Sykes. “It relates to tho All Blacks ’’—(Laughter.! “The first match between the All Blacks and England,” added Mr Sykes, “will take place to-morrow. I wish to ask the PostmasterGeneral if telegraphic arrangements have been made to enable all the people, whether resident in the ■ backblocks or otherwise, to be apprised of information regarding the result as soon as possible as Sunday intervenes.” As a matter of fact the PostmasterGeneral had already made it known that be had made such arrangements, and the fact had been in practically every newspaper in New Zealand. Mr Coates, in his reply to Mr Sykes, did not waste any words. He merely saiu. “Yes, arrangements have been made, accordingly.”