PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25499, 31 March 1944, Page 2

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

THE GOVERNMENT’S PLANS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 30. “We do not want to leave this session until some announcement is made by the Government about 'what is proposed to be done for primary ihdustry and increased production,” said.the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. ‘ G. Holland, when objecting in the Hcuse of Representatives to-day to a proposal by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, to sit on Saturday morning. When invited by Mr Holland to indi-. cate the remaining business of the session, the Prime Minister said that, judged by the course of events, the remainder of the programme, would probably be protracted. He would therefore suggest that the. House sit to-morrow at 2.30 p.m. instead of 10.30 a.m., and sit again on Saturday morning, with a view to completing the -

session then. Mr Holland said he would not like to stand in the way of disposing of the business, but he considered that the House should sit the usual hours on Friday, so that members could return to their homes for the week-end and come back to complete, the business next week.

Opposition Dissatisfaction "The proper thing to do is to take the time necessary to do the country’s business,” Mr Holland said. “ Members of the Opposition feel very strongly about the way business has been conducted. There is the very important question of increasing production to make more food available for Britain, and we are very much concerned about that. The public will lose its confidence in' Parliament if we adjourn without some indication being given of what is proposed to be done, and we as members of the House are entitled to know what is to be done. I was quite prepared, had the House been in secret session, to move the adjournment in order that we could debate this matter, as we feel that the time of Parliament has been occupied in discussing matters of much less importance.” ~ . , , The Prime Minister said he hoped the Opposition would not persist in its objection. The question whether the House should adjourn over the weekend could be discussed to-morrow, but he thought it would be better served by meeting to-morrow at 230 ihe question of sitting on Saturday could be held over until, to-morrow. “ I have a very important statement to make on man-power, which, with all due deference to the importance of other matters, is the most important of all,” said Mr Fraser. Mr F. W. Doidge (Oppn., Tauranga). Is it essential to discuss it in secret session? The Prime Minister: On this particular information—yes. definitely.. Mr Holland suggested that a decision on the sitting hours be deferred until the resumption of the sitting at 7.3 U p.m., but if a decision was pressed for now the Opposition would have to vote against the proposal. The Prime Minister said the probability of the secret session which was set down for that afternoon extending into a late hour would make it difficult to take a vote at 7.30, as that would involve the House resuming in open session. , , ~ A division was called for by the Opposition, and the motion to alter the hours for Friday was carried by 42 votes to 32. A Further Protest Mr Holland then drew attention to the sitting of the Local Bills Committee that afternoon, at 3 o’clock, and said this would mean the absence of many members during the secret. session when highly important matters were to be discussed. “ The Government is strong enough to carry anything it desires,” he said. “ While the special session is on the committee should not meet.” The Prime Minister said the intention of the Opposition was obvious —simply to obstruct the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill. There was no sign of co-operation from the Opposition. It» was using the of the House, to obstruct legislation. Mr Holland: That is not so.

The Prime Minister: I cannot accept the statement of the Leader of the Opposition at its face value. The House then went into secret session.