SESSION ENDS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 5

SESSION ENDS

important legislation CONVERSION ACT HEADS LIST V ATiEDIOTORY references NATION’S “SIGH RELIEF” MR. W. DASENT’S 50 YEARS By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Moving the adjournment of the House of Representatives, which had resumed at 6.15 p.m. to receive the Royal assent to the legislation passed during the session, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) said the curtain was being rung down on one of the most important sessions in history. Far-reach-ing legislation rendered absolutely necessary by the economic position of the Dominion had been passed and he trusted it would to some degree assist the citizens to face the difficulties in front of them. Members had experienced an arduous session but had come through it in accordance with the country’s traditions. Mr. Forbes then- paid tributes to the Speaker (the Hon. Sir Charles Statham), the Chairman of Committees (Mr. S. G. Smith) and the officers associated with the public buildings. Mr. W. Dasent, clerk-assistant, House of Representatives, was about to sever a connection with Parliament extending over 50 years and Mr. Forbes expressed appreciation of valuable services that officer had rendered, Mr. Forbes considered that the New Zealand Debt Conversion Act must be placed at the head of the list of measures passed during the session and he paid tribute to the manner in which the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates at short notice had thoroughly grasped all the intricate details associated with the bills he had had to sponsor. ’ Mr. Forbes thanked the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) and members generally for the manner in which they had assisted the transaction of business of the session. The Leader of the Opposition thanked Mr. Forbes for the references to himself and his colleagues and said he could heartily reciprocate. He also desired to associate himself with everything that had been said concerning the Speaker, the Chairman of Committees and the officers of the House. The session was ending under circumstances unique in the history of the country, Mr. Holland said. He thought it regrettable that tens of thousands of citizens would heave a sigh of relief when Parliament adjourned. Many people had remarked to him that they would be glad when the session was over because they never knew what mischief Parliament would be doing next. He hoped that by the time the House met again there would be a vast change for the better in the economic conditions of the world and that this change would reflect itself in New Zealand’s own conditions. Mr. Coates associated himself with the tributes paid by Mr. Forbes and Mr. Holland. He said Britain’s conversion of £2,000,000,000 had struck the imagination and won applause from the whole world. New Zealand’s attempt to convert £115,000,000 might look small in comparison but in proportion to the population it represented an even bigger task. Britain and Australia had carried out conversion schemes and although conditions in those countries were not nearly so satisfactory as one would wish they were certainly better to the extent that lower interest rates had been secured. It was now New Zealand’s turn to take this decisive step towards putting its house in order and New Zealand could not and would not fail in contrast with Britain and Australia. Sir Charles Statham and Mr. Smith expressed thanks for the tributes that had been paid them and their appreciation of the assistance members had given them in carrying out their duties. The session ended with the rising of the House at 7.15 p.m.