MARATHON SPEECH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19135, 2 October 1936, Page 5

MARATHON SPEECH

TWO HOURS 20 MINUTES MINISTER BREAKS RECORD EXPLANATION OP BILL (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A marathon speech of two hours 20 minutes duration, which easily broke the record for the session, was made by the Hon. D. G. Sullivan in the House of Representatives yesterday, when, moving the second reading of the Industrial Efficiency Bill. The time limit under standing orders is half an hour, but when an extension is granted there is no further limit. The Minister began his speech at 3.40 p.m. and continued with an extension of time until the tea adjournment at 5.30 p.m. Resuming at 7.30 p.m., it was 8 o'clock when he sat down to the accompaniment of applause from Opposition members. Mr. S. G. Holland (Nat., Clich. N.)> who had been chosen by the Opposition to open its case, remarked at. the beginning"'" of 'his < speech that -he -had listened to the Minister -for'«oyer two hours and a quarter, and was "still thirsting for information about the bill."

The Minister spent about an hour and'a quarter in explaining the general purpose of the bill and the objects he had in view in the co-ordination of industry, and devoted the remainder of his time to a detailed clause-by-clause explanation of its provisions. He made a strong point that as the legislation was of an,experimental nature it would be administered with care and discretion, and said he had no intention of rushing in and rationalising all industries. Preferring to select one or two as a start to form a basis, he mentioned coal-min-ing and flax as industries which could benefit particularly by organisation.