HOUSE TO SIT THIS MORNING

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 4

HOUSE TO SIT THIS MORNING

Effort To Complete

Business FOUR BILLS REMAIN TO BE PASSED BEGINNING OF RECESS ON FRIDAY (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 8. With the parliamentary recess rapidly approaching there was an unexpected development in the House of Representatives today when a form of parliamentary procedure rarely invoked was used to enable a discussion to be held on the waterfront troubles in Auckland, However, in spite of the fact that the whole afternoon was occupied in debating this point good progress was made subsequently with the normal business of the House and several Government and local Bills were passed.

The discussion on the Auckland waterfront dispute was started when Mr W. J. Polson (Nat., Stratford) moved an adjournment of the House in order that consideration might be given to the matter. In the first place there was a long argument whether the motion could be accepted and numerous points of order were raised by the Minister of Marine (the Hon. P. Fraser) before the Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard) finally decided to permit the discussion. The argument put forward by the Opposition speakers was that although the Auckland trouble had been settled such disputes had an extremely harmful effect on the shipping of primary produce to overseas markets and were likely to involve the producers in heavy loss. The Government was urged to hold an immediate investigation into the whole question of waterfront work. The Government’s case was handled entirely by Cabinet Ministers, five of whom, including the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) took part in the debate. All agreed that there had been a violation of an agreement the Auckland waterside workers and the Prime Minister himself admitted that some better arrangement would have to be made for controlling work on the waterfront. LOCAL BILLS PASSED When the House resumed in the evening five local Bills were passed in quick time and then consideration was given to Government Bills on the order paper.

The Sovereign’s Birthday Observance Bill, the Agriculture (Emergency Regulations) Confirmation Bill and the School of Agriculture Bill were all approved, the last-mentioned measure being the only one on which there was any degree of discussion. During the evening two new Bills, the Dog Registration Amendment Bill and the Agricultural Workers Amendment Bill, were introduced, the Prime Minister indicating that these two, together with the Petroleum Bill and the State Advances Corporation Amendment Bill, were the only ones remaining to be passed before the adjournment. The House rose at 10.50 o’clock but in order to complete the remaining business by Friday, tomorrow’s sitting will begin in the morning.