TALKATIVE MEMBERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17062, 21 September 1929, Page 5

TALKATIVE MEMBERS

PREMIER GETS ANNOYED FIRE BUGS AND SLY GEOG WHO WASTES TIIE TIME? (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this clay. That members of the House of Representatives arc generally becoming concerned over the lack of progress in the session’s programme was evident from references during yesterday’s discussion on the estimates. The House went into committee soon after 10.110 a.m., and commenced to deal with the votes for the Police Department. •Many interesting topics were raised, - including the appointment of women police, the.existence of “lire bugs in Christchurch, and the alleged prevalence of illegal whisky distilleries in the wilds of Southland. The Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Justice, showed great patience, and only intervened at long intervals to answer definite questions. The topics recurred, and some members appeared to speak only from a kindly desire to lighten the proceedings with somewhat labored jokes. The Prime Minister lost. patience just before the lunch adjournment, when the vote was still awaiting approval. He conceded that the conditions in Parliament were unusual, as there, were three parties, at least two of which no. doubt desired to be critical; but he Earnestly requested members to limit their speeches and avoid repetition; otherwise, he realised that the new standing orders for reasonable hours would break down. He advised members that some of the questions they had raised could just as well be talked over privately with the Minister. A whole morning had gone with no progress to show for it; yet, ho pointed out, the estimates were those inherited from the former (Government, and were not those of the present Ministry. SETTING A TASK The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates: They are the estimates of the Government, and nobody else’s. Mr. Wilford: They are all liabilities. Mr. H. E. Holland, leader of the Labor Party, supported, the .Prime Minister’s plea for greater despatch, though the problem, he said, appeared to be how to get on Without sacrificing the individual rights of members. If something was not done the standing orders would break down. Mr. W. E. Parry, Auckland Central: No doubt about that. Mr. Holland ■suggested that the solution might come by a mutual arrangement between the party leaders. When the House resumed after junch, Mr. F. Waite revived the question of sly-grog production in Southland, which he had mentioned several hours before, but the Prime .Minister endeavored to stop delay by setting a definite programme for completion before the. 5.30 p.m. adjournment for . the week-end. He asked that the police, printing and stationery, mental hospitals, Health Department and Tourist Department votes be dealt with during the afternoon. To Opposition exclamations of surprise he replied that he had seen twice that amoufit of business done in the time. He asked members to curb their inclination to “talk about anything and everything.’? Mr. W. E. Parry: I have seen more done in 10 minutes at 2 o’clock in the morning. EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY Sir Joseph: I have certainly seen more done on the estimates in an afternoon than we have passed all this session. Here is a member discussing Hokunui whisky, but as a matter of fact nobody cares whether the hon. gentleman has swallowed a hogshead of it. His interest sug gested that he has been applying himself to the bottle. (Laughter). Whyshould he talk about Southland being a ply-grog selling place? Mr. Waite: You know it is true. Sir Joseph: It is a libel on the whole district. Mr. P. Fraser, Wellington Central, created a good deal of amuse''ment by raising a point of order thal it was the Prime Minister who was wasting time, and he was bluntly tpld by Sir Joseph, amid further laughter, that he was not going to be stopped by Mr. Fraser or anyone else. Mr. Fraser: I was protesting against the waste of time. Mr. W. Lee Martin: And some of our Own party have wasted time. ' •' Mr. Fraser: I hope the hon. gentleman is only speaking for himself. Mr. Lee Martin: I am speaking about you. The Prime Minister’s diplomacy had excellent results, for the whole programme he had indicated was put through in the time suggested. The final item, the Tourist Department, was only reached a few minutes before the adjournment, and when the Prime Minister suggested that he had better get standing orders suspended so as to pit longer, members advised him to reply to the points already raised, lit* did so, and after 10 minutes of consideration the whole vote was passed. “No need to get anxious; we are getting on very well,” cheerfully commented the Leader of the Opposition.