THE SESSION

Southland Times, Issue 21659, 22 March 1932, Page 7

THE SESSION

WEEK IN PARLIAMENT ANGRY SCENE IN THE HOUSE MORTGAGORS’ RELIEF BILL (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, March 19. The past week in the House of Representatives will live long in the memory of those who had anything to do with it, partly because it contained a record sitting and partly because it led to more bitter feeling than has been shown in political, circles for many years. At the same time the week ended with something accomplished, the first measure of the session being put through all stages and passed at 2 o'clock this morning. Although the House sat on five days, commencing on Monday evening, only two matters of any note were dealt with. The greater part of the week was spent on the passing of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, one evening only being devoted to the introduction of the Mortgagors’ Relief Amendment Bill. The really serious business of the week commenced on Thursday afternoon when the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) secured urgency for the remaining stages of the I. C. and A. Amendment Bill and the House settled down for a long sitting. Government members settled down in their benches and prepared to spend a period of tedious inactivity, and opposition members called for copies of the Statutes and set to work to prepare innumerable speeches. A Record Sitting. Three hours were spent in spirited debate and then members rested and sought refreshment until 7.30 in the evening. Another two hours and a second break came when the House adjourned for half-an-hour for supper. When the House met again at 10 o’clock no one suspected that a record sitting had begun, but such proved to be the case, the House or the Committee of the Whole keeping members continuously at work for the following 28 hours. In all the House spent eight sitting days on the Bill, one on the introduction, four on the second reading, and four on the committee and final stages. Some idea of the opposition offered to the Bill can be gathered from the fact that it led to 46 divisions in committee and 20 on other stages, while the closure was applied 15 times. The exceedingly numerous divisions kept the bells in almost constant use and the weary’ members were never permitted to rest, the time between divisions being too short. Members also suffered during the last 28 hours through lack of proper meals. Those who were optimistic enough to attempt to make a full meal were usually interrupted and consequently the majority decided to content themselves with light refreshment at intervals. Members Disagree. As is usual under such circumstances members began to show signs of stress early in the first morning, and several minor brushes between the benches took place before serious trouble finally developed owing to two Labour members (Messrs P. Fraser and J. A. Lee) refusing to obey the Chair. The extraordinary scenes which followed can only be regretted by all who took part in or witnessed them. The chamber was so unlike the usual calm dignity of the New Zealand Parliament that it was hard to believe that the representatives of the people who caused the scene were members of the Dominion’s Legislature, and expressions of regret and disgust were frequent during the remainder of the day. Utter weariness descended upon the House as the day wore on, and very few of the speeches made showed signs of any spirit other than a weary determination. Members lay limnly along their benches a’jd tried to sleep, but only a few succeeded. Witnessed from the galleries the chamber looked like the scene of some terrible accident; one member lay stretched on his bench with his head buried in a corner, giving the impression of a decapitated body; limbs showed here and there and an occasional member groaned as his distressed body refused to allow his mind to sink into restful slumber. Collarless members appeared occasionally and at least one of the Maori members spent a fair part of the sitting with his stockinged feet propped up on his bench. A fair sprinkling of spectators occupied the galleries, and a number remained well into the morning hours, evidently in anticipation of being entertained by some angry scene. The final stages of the sitting were uninteresting in the extreme, and several of the speakers in the second reading debate obviously spoke under considerable mental strain. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) showed unusual weariness and his third reading speech lacked his usual fire and indicated physical and mental exhaustion. Business in Prospect. The House will resume again on Monday evening ’ when, it is understood, the next stage of the Mortgagors’ Relief Amendment Bill will be taken. This measure does not meet with the absolute approval of all sections of the community, but it is not expected to be a difficult one to put through the House. The Prime Minister hopes to dispose of it by Wednesday when the House will adjourn for Easter. Ten days or more will elapse before the House meets again, but that time will not be wasted as Cabinet intends to spend it in preparing legislation for the consideration of the House during the remainder of April. Commencing on Easter Tuesday Cabinet will hold a series of meetings, and it is expected that several measures will be formulated during the week.