A BRIGHT BREAK

Southland Times, Issue 22146, 14 October 1933, Page 6

A BRIGHT BREAK

mr McDougall again CLASH WITH MR LYE POSITION IN THE HOUSE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, October 13. The Member for Mataura, who has pilloried the Government on more than one occasion since the commencement of the session had something further to say about the Government’s policy during the course of the debate on the Prime’ Minister’s report on the World Conference in the House of Representatives to-day, his remarks bringing about a clash between himself, the Deputy Speaker (Mr S. G. Smith) and a Government member. In his opening remarks Mr McDougall said that the Minister of Lands had told the House that delegates to the conference had done their duty and the fruits of their labour would be seen in the future. ’‘That is a pohey we have been following for the last few years, better times are always away ahead of us, always over the fence. The Minister of Lands had also said that work of the conference would help producers. Can the Minister name one small farmer or one worker in the whole of the Dominion who has gained anything by the conference?” Mr McDougall asked. Mr T. Baxter had visited New Zealand and had told the dairy farmers that the quota was inevitable, but in any case there seemed to be very little difference between having a quota and sending all their produce Home to glut the market. More consumption was what was req Mr McDougall went on to discuss the attitude of the Minister of Lands concerning settlers who were in arreas, when he was interrupted by the Deputy Speaker who said, “Is the non. gentleman dealing with the report; Mr McDougall: Yes, I am dealing with the Minister of Lands. I would like to ask him this. It is some considerable time since the Government bought the Galatea estate. I have been all over it Mr Smith: The hon. member must speak to the report. Mr McDougall: I must keep on the report? I hope you are not getting hot under the collar. Mr Smith: Order, order. Mr McDougall went on to discuss land settlement and referred to the small farm scheme in Southland. The Minister of Lands had denied that the Government was responsible for forcing down the standard of living. “The Government was responsible,” declared Mr McDougall, “and I am very sorry to say that I was one of those who helped to cut down wages and put more taxation on the workers. We have had to tax the worker to give him a job. We have been making the poor man poorer and the rich man richer. I am very sorry I wasn’t kicked out of the establishment long ago. Well I'm out now and I am glad of it.” ... Mr F. Lye (C., Waikato) : Then you ought to sit somewhere else. “Shut Him Up.” Mr McDougall: I’ll sit where I like. I understand Mr Speaker has the allotting of seats in this House. Mr Smith: Order, order. Mr McDougall (pointing to Mr Lye): Then you shut him up. He interjects and when I reply I am called to order. Mr Smith: Order, order.

Mr McDougall: I ought to sit somewhere else? I ought to be sitting where Mr Speaker is. I believe I would do better than he does. Mr Smith: Order. I will have to ask the hon. gentleman to resume his seat. Mr McDougall continued his speech for a few seconds, but his remarks were inaudible from the gallery. Mr Lye, who was the next speaker, said it was wrong for- Mr McDougall to sit behind the Ministry and every time he spoke, stab the Government in the back. Common decency demanded that Mr McDougall should shift his seat.

Mr McDougall: I am not going to. “Common decency demands that the member for Mataura should move into more congenial company,” added Mr Lye. “He does not like the company on this side of the House. He vigorously opposes the Government. at every opportunity and it does not occur to him that his place is somewhere else.” Mr McDougall: Would it please you if I went up on the roof? Mr Lye: It would please me better if you fell off the roof. Rising to a point of order at the conclusion of Mr Lye’s speech, Mr McDougall said he understood that Mr Speaker allocated the seats in the chamber to the various members. If Mr Speaker said he was to move, he would do so, but he did not intend to shift from his present seat for Mr Lye or any member of the Ministry. The Speaker, Sir Charles Statham, who had returned to the Chamber, explained that the seats were arranged among the members themselves. Naturally the Government occupied the front benches on the right of the chair and the Opposition sat on his left. If any dispute arose, however, he would then decide.