THE BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 30

THE BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

THE END IN SIGHT.

11R MASSEY SCORES OFF THE

PRESHER

(Pkoji Ottr Own Corrbspokdent.) WELLINGTON, October 6. The Speaker announced to the House this afternoon that as the end of the Bession was so near at hand he would allow fcha Hou^je to consider in committee aft&r midnight bills that had passed their seoond ' reading before that hour. Mr Slassey said he objected to this. He Jmew a precedent for such a thing had been established, but it was foa* the House to >ay "whether new business should be takeai >,fter 12-.30. He understood that a number Df members were anxious to get back to their "constituents, j^nd he had seen indica- \ lions to that effect. Their duty, however, iwas to remain until the business of the ' country was concluded. The Premier phould have made, an announcement as to the' bills that he intended to strike off the Order Paper before the half-past 12 i-ule was suspended. The House expected that ths usual custom wtould be followed dn this respect.^ He was quite aware that ! the Premier with his majority could keep » the' House .silting until 4 or 5 o'clock in I the morning, bufc if ho (Air Massey) oould I get a dozen members to support him — and ' fie ventured to say that he could get more than a dozen— he would undertake that no legislation would pass through the House without being properly considered. — (" Hear, hear.") Th& Premier : Some of these days I will ■write down what the Leader oi the Oppo- j

sition intends to isay before he says it. If the Leader' of the Opposition was prepared to stay and help, the Government would atop till the 2nd December to finish the business. Mr Massey: I'll be very happy to. Mr Hawkins: I'll make one. Mr Seddon was understood to say that Mr Hawkins would never come back to Parliament again, and that Mr Ma?sey also would need all his time to get back. Mr Massey refortod : "If you come up I'll have the greatest pleasure in putting you down. — (Laughter.) That's a fair offer. Mr Seddon : I am never bombastic — (Cries of "Oh!" and laughter),— but I might invite- the hon. member down to the "West Coast, and if he went there he would never be seen again. Mr Seddon went on to charge the Opposition with blocking the business of the country, but this old timeworn gag had no effect, and the Premier was beautifully bowled out. Mr Alison reminded Mr Seddon that this was an old, old story. Mr Seddon went on to give- some explanation of the business he wished transacted, but his explanation was anything but lucid. He, however, intimated that a bill to amend the Factories Act would be brought doWn, and that lie proposed to go on with the debate ou the land question on Monday next. Mr Kirkbride: I thought you promised to take only unimportant business on Monday nights. Mr Massey: This is unimportant according to him. Ma- Seddon: At this late etago of the session I have transposed that. Mr Massey warmly repudiated the statement that the.ro had been any blocking of the business. The Premier, he said, was in the habit of making statements that were absolutely oontrary to fact, and this was one of them. He proved it by reading

figures to show the amount of space taken up by certain members in Hansavd: — The Premier, 2343 i n; The Minister of Railways, 1544 i n; the Leader of the Opposition, Ho6in; Mr Taylor, 923iu; Mr Ell, 702 in (Oh! Oh! and laughter); Mr Ja-s. Allen, 653 i n; Mr Hall-Jones, 646 i n; Mr Duthie, 622 in; Mr M'Gowan, 572 i n; Mr Hogg, 559 in. Mr Ma?sey said it appears that the Premier occupied more than double the space that ho did, yet the Premier accueed him of blocking the business. Mr Seddon now shifted his ground, and said the blocking was done in committee — (Laughter), — where, as the hon. member knew very well, debates were not reported. Air Massey, however, promptly contradicted that statement, pointing out that there had been very little committee work this sesx;n — ("Hear, hear"), — and that there hao boen no blocking in connection with it. — \"Hear, hear.")

Mr Seddon shifted his ground again, and he now said they had been eight nights in committee on the Estimates. That was when the blocking was done.

Mr Massey, however, again floored the Premi&r by pointing out that the discussion in oommifcie-e on the Eetimatca is reported in jnansai'd. — (''Hear, hear.") In answer to a quesHon by Mr Alison, the Premier sa-id ho proposed to take the debate on the Publio vYorks Statement and the Loan Bill at the same time.

Mr Massey objected unless members were granted an hour for their speeches. They w&re entitled to an hour on the publio works debate aicne.

Mr Seddon said if he went into committee on the Publio Works Estimates on Friday there could be no discussion at all.

Mr Ma-ssey snld if the Premier's statement was in feh& nature of a threat it would not facilitate incafctero. Members would not put up with treatment of that sort. The House wanted to discuss the Public Works Statement, and intended to .do so.

Mr Secldon said he had made no threat, and if hon. memfaers wanted an hour they oould ha*ce ir.