TIRED LEGISLATORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21598, 19 March 1932, Page 12

TIRED LEGISLATORS

BITTER FEELINGS IN THE HOUSE NO ADJOURNMENT FOR FOOD (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, March 18. When dusk set in this evening Parliament was sitting in the most unfavourable conditions possible. No adjournment for food had been taken since 10 o’clock the previous evening, and few, if any, of the members had closed their eyes in sleep overnight. _ The discussion at times was provocative of the bitterest feelings, and the hot, stuffy atmosphere of the chamber was not conducive to deliberative administration. Food was mentioned at 7 a.m., when the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) suggested breakfast. Labour wanted an adjournment till 2.30 p.m., but the Government members protested. “All right,” said Mr Holland, “we go on.” Mr Parry: We’ll give you all you want. The House sat through the luncheon hour, members snatching a few minutes here and there for a cup of tea at Bellamys. During the afternoon the prospect developed through inter-party negotiations that as soon as the committee stage had been disposed of the House would he adjourned until 9.30 a.m. tomorrow for the third reading. Some hitch occurred, however, with the result that members again sat through the evening meal hour, foodless and without sleep, and by 10 o’clock the House had been 24 hours sitting without a break for food.