MR KYLE VOTES WITH GOVERNMENT

Southland Times, Issue 24544, 19 September 1941, Page 6

MR KYLE VOTES WITH GOVERNMENT

AMENDMENT TO RIVERS CONTROL BILL (Special) WELLINGTON, Sept. 18. The unusual spectacle of a prominent member of the Opposition voting with the Government against an amendment moved from the Opposition benches occurred during the committee stages of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Bill in the House of Representatives tonight. The member concerned was Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Nat., Riccarton), who voted against an amendment moved by Mr J. N. Massey (Nat., Franklin) to replace one he had moved earlier which had been ruled out of order.

It was explained by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Nat., Kaipara) that the amendment, which sought to reduce the Public Works Department’s representation and thus increase relatively the local body representation on the rivers control council was not precisely what had been intended, but represented the only way open to Mr Massey to make clear a point of principle. Mr Kyle announced in the debate that he opposed the amendment. He said he hoped that the council as proposed in the clause under discussion would come into being.

Laughter rose on both sides of the House when Mr Kyle walked to the “Ayes” lobby with Government members and while voting he was cheered by the Government. There was further laughter when he returned to the chamber and had his hand warmly shaken by Mr A. S. Richards (Lab., Roskill), the junior Government Whip. The amendment was defeated by 38 votes to 18.