ALL-NIGHT DEBATE

Southland Times, Issue 23375, 6 December 1937, Page 6

ALL-NIGHT DEBATE

NEW MARKETING BILL PASSED

Stonewall By The Opposition

FIFTEEN DIVISIONS NECESSARY

PRIME MINISTER APPLIES CLOSURE

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 5.

After an all-night battle which extended for ever 15 hours, the Primary Products Marketing Amendment Bill was finally passed by the House of Representatives shortly after 6 o’clock on Saturday morning. Members of the Opposition used practically all the accepted weapons allowed by general Parliamentary procedure. Amendments were moved to delay the passing of the Bill, and between 10.30 o’clock on Friday morning and daybreak on Saturday the House was divided 15 times. The result, of course, was a foregone conclusion; the Government had its overwhelming strength numerically and all the Opposition could do was to voice its protest as emphatically as possible. This was done to such good purpose that the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) was forced to move the closure on three occasions in order to shorten the discussions.

From midnight on Friday the Opposition’s stonewall was assiduously developed. Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Nat., Riccarton) moved his formal amendment to the second reading designed to have the Bill referred back to the special select committee for examination as to the possible effects of the full marketing control of foodstuffs on producers, distributors and consumers. This was seconded by Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago), who described the Bill as the “death warrant of practically every small trader in the country.” The effect of the amendment was. to give every member of the Opposition the right to speak again, but it was obvious that the Prime Minister would make early application of the closure. This would have terminated the debate before the Minister of Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash) could make his reply, and accordingly the Minister decided to speak to the amendment. “TIRADE OF ABUSE”, The tactics of the Opposition, said Mr Nash, had been purely obstructive and no suggestion had been put forward for improving the proposals in the Bill. There had been nothing but a tirade of abuse and ill-informed analogies with the economic policies of certain countries overseas. “There is not more in this Bill,” said Mr Nash, “that will cause anything other than increased production and more economic distribution of those things which are required by the community as the necessaries of life. The Government affirms that the inevitable trend of economic laws must be regulated for the benefit of the people as a whole.” The Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) also spoke to the amendment. Under the Bill, he said, the Government was planning the destruction of the existing order of trade, but apparently it was not concerned with retaining all which was of value-in the old order. A Bill so sweeping in its proposals should not be passed in a day or two, but should be referred to a committee for mature consideration. As soon as Mr Hamilton resumed his seat the Prime Minister fulfilled expectations by moving the closure, and members who had left the chamber for a few minutes’ sleep were wakened by the clanging of the division bells. The closure motion was carried by 41 votes to 10, and from then on any thought of sleep in Parliament Buildings was out of the question. The Opposition called for another division on an amendment which was lost by 39 votes to 12, and immediately after the second reading was carried, also on a division. As soon as the House went into committee on the Bill, Opposition members, reinforced by Messrs R. A. Wright, H. M. Rushworth and A. C. A. Sexton, launched a further attack on the Government’s proposals. The discussion on the Short Title almost assumed the proportions of another second reading debate until it, too, was terminated by the closure. MR SAVAGE ADAMANT As the committee stages proceeded two attempts were made to induce the Prime Minister to report progress and adjourn for the week-end. However, Mr Savage remained adamant and the Government members saw to it that no truce was declared. “Let them stew in their own juice!” shouted Mr H. M. Christie (Lab., Waipawa) when the Opposition at one stage appealed for an interval for reflection. Two amendments were jnoved during the committee stages by Mr Sexton and Mr Rushworth. Mr Sexton’s amendment was designed to have foodstuff prices fixed by an independent honorary tribunal in such a manner as to enable the producer to pay competitive rates of wages. Both amendments were defeated. Clause after clause in the Bill was contested by the Opposition. Outside, day was breaking and from the corridors round the chamber could be heard the busy clattering of charwomen. The House was divided on six clauses, but the Government’s forces always prevailed. The committee stages were completed shortly after 6 o’clock, the only amendment made to the Bill being one introduced by the Minister for the purpose of making interest payments in the internal marketing account retrospective to September 16 instead of September 20. The third reading was only a formality. Brief summaries of conflicting arguments were placed on record and then the Bill was passed.