“STUPID TACTICS”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18266, 8 December 1933, Page 8

“STUPID TACTICS”

GAMING BILL DEBACLE COALITIONISTS ANNOYED CRITICISM OF LEADER LOBBYING RESENTED (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. “The defeat of the motion for urgency on the Gaming Amendment Bill was due solely to the blundering and stupid tactics employed by the Prime Minister.” This opinion was advanced to-day by three Coalitionists who voted against their leader on this issue. Among those who opposed the urgency motion were several members who had publicly avowed themselves as being supporters of the bill. They have now been charged with inconsistency-, but they point out that in their opinion the vote had nothing to do with the proposals contained in the bill, but was merely a question of procedure.

“For days we frittered away time on the Poultry Runs Registration Bill and other minor measures,” said one leading Coalitionist. “No urgency was taken for them, and no urgency was taken for important Government bills; yet, without consulting members of the party in any shape or form, the Prime Minister tried to bludgeon the House into giving the Gaming Bill treatment which could only be described as preferential.”

Another member of the Coalition who voted against the urgency motion said that it was apparent that a number of people outside the House had been boasting that whatever else happened, urgency would be accorded this measure. “Surely it was not right that these people, with no responsibility to the country, should be able to extract a concession which was denied to elected members of the House,” he said. “We arc not puppets, and we contend that we have more right to the confidence of the Government than outsiders who are interested in one measure only. We have been loyal to the Government and we are still loyal, blit to expect us to be blind in our loyalty and allow Parliament to become simply a voting machine at the behest of outside organisations is asking too much.” Keen resentment was also expressed at the activities of interested parties in button-holing members on the particular measures before the House. On at least (three occasions during the present session, members allege that they have been pestered by lobbyists who have been sent into the precincts of the House with the intention of persuading members to support bills designed to benefit limited sections of the community. '‘Not only is it a breach of privilege, liable to be* severely punished, but is an insult to the intelligence of members,’’ declared another member of the Coalition “I have been* sent here by the electors of my district to vote in accordance with their views, and in accordance witli my own conscience, and I am sick and tired of people who have no right in the place at all attempting to tell I me how I should vote on any bill."