PASSAGES AT ARMS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 7

PASSAGES AT ARMS

PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGES

MR. S. G. SMITH AND LABOUR.

CONFINING REMARKS TO POINT.

(Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Lwit Night.Frequent “exchanges” between Labour members and the Chairman of Committees, Mr. S. G. Smith, occurred during the committee stages of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives last night. , . The Chairman ruled that members must corifinp their remarks to the particular clause under discussion, and he checked any deviating tendencies on the part of members. Mr. J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn), when called to order on that account, claimed that he had to discuss a related clause to make his point clear.' “Until I am thrown out . of the House . I will continue to discuss the Clause,” he declared, with some heat. ' The chairman: You may ask a question, but you cannot discuss, any other clause.

As a way out. of the difficulty, Mr. Lee then asked a long series of. questions, and concluded by saying the Chairman could sit him down. Then,.as it happened, the bell rang to mark the expiry.of Mr. Lee’s time limit and the incident / lapsed. However, a little later Mr. W. J. Jordan (Lab., Manukau) camO to grips with the Chairman on a similar point. -Mr. Jorddn was buttressing his arguments against' any suggestion of a reduction in the number of hospital district* by quoting from the report Of the National Expenditure Commission on the subject. “You must confine your remarks to the clause, and not fill up time by quoting from the report,” Baid Mr. Smith. Mr. Jordan: I am not speaking to fill up time. I want to get home as well as anyone else. I think , you should withdraw that remark about filling up time. Mr. Smith: Order, order! Mr. Jordan: Yes, order is what we want in this House. Mr. Smith: Will you allow me? Mr. Jordan: Yes. The Chairman then explained his, ruling again and tranquility was restored to the proceedings.