NO EXTENSIONS OF TIME

Southland Times, Issue 22859, 7 April 1936, Page 7

NO EXTENSIONS OF TIME

MEMBER FOR MATAURA OBJECTS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, April 6. Because of an objection by Mr D. McDougall (Ind., Mataura), an extension of speaking time was refused Mr S. G. Smith (Nat., New Plymouth) in the second reading of the debate on the Reserve Bank Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. Under the Standing Orders an extension can only be granted in the event of it receiving the unanimous approval of the House. During the last Parliament Mr McDougall indicated that he would deny extensions to speakers other than the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The bell had just rung indicating that Mi- Smith had five minutes remaining of the half-hour allowed for second reading speeches when his bench-mate, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Nat., Oroua) moved that Mr Smith be granted an extension. The Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard) then put the motion, and asked if there were any objections, to which Mr McDougall replied with an emphatic “No.” Mr Smith: I do not mind, because I know the courtesies of this House are to be whittled away by Mr McDougall. Mr McDougall: We have had enough of that tripe. Mr Smith: It has always been the custom for a Minister to follow the Leader of the Opposition. I do not mind the objection of the member for Mataura, because he will do anything the Labour Party wants him to do. Thereafter Labour members objected to all motions for extensions of time moved by Opposition members.