THE WEEK IN THE HOUSE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20892, 23 November 1937, Page 11

THE WEEK IN THE HOUSE

MUCH BUSINESS TRANSACTED

GOOD MATERIAL FOR DEBATES LACKING

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, November 20.

Four Government Bills, albeit none of a particularly important nature, were passed by the House of Representatives during the week Just ended. In addition, estimates of departmental expenditure aggregating more than £10,000,000 were approved, two new Bills of real importance were placed on the order paper and official reports were received outlining the activities of the Government in Public Works, the marketing of dairy p-oduce and the control of broadcasting. It has been a week of strange contradictions for, although a considerable amount of business was transacted, there were occasions when the proceedings of the House seemed to drag Interminably. , Altogether five new items from the Government’s legislative programme came before the House during the week. These were the Electoral Amendment Bill, restoring three-year Parliaments and placing Maori voters practically on the same footing as Europeans; the Companies (Special Liquidations) Extension Bill, providing for the winding up of one of the companies in the McArthur Group; the Petroleum Bill, giving the Government control over all aspects of prospecting and mining for oil in New Zealand; a miscellaneous Finance Bill with numerous important clauses; and the third amendment of the session to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act—an amendment to amend an amendment which had been passed only a few days previously. Of the new legislation, the Petroleum Bill and the Finance Bill are easily the most important and they may be expected to provide some interesting discussion during the coming week. The Companies (Special Liquidations) Extension Bill and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill were both passed in quick time, but the other measures approved by the House, the Physical Welfare and Recreation Bill and the Sale of Wool Bill, had -been introduced some time earlier.

At no stage during the week did the debates rise to any great heights but this in the main was due to the lack of interesting debating material. The first Monday sitting of the session was a very dull and lifeless affair, with a somewhat attenuated House seemingly engaged in “marking time.”

Wide In Scope The most interesting discussions were occasioned by the introduction of the Petroleum Bill on Tuesday night and the consideration of the estimates of the Eelectoral Department on Friday. The Petroleum Bill is exceedingly wide in its scope and no, sooner had it been introduced than the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, became the target for a veritable fusillade of questions from the Opposition. The Rt. Hon. J. G, Coates (Nationalist, Kaipara) seemed to touch on a particularly knotty point when he raised the question of State ownership of oil found under native land. The Treaty of Waitangi was involved, he said, even though petroleum had not been thought of when Hobson negotiated his historic agreement with the Maoris. The discussion on the vote of the Electoral Department assumed interest purely as the result of one topic—broadcasting. Members of the Opposition were apparently convinced that the Government intends to permit the use of the radio for" the purposes of political propaganda during the next election campaign. No exception was taken to that aspect of the case, as it was presumed that both sides would have an opportunity to woo the electors over the air, but the Opposition contended that some restriction should be placed on radio electioneering during the three days immediately prior to polling day. The Prime Minister’lost no time in rejecting this plea and his remarks on the subject inferred ‘ that 'political speeches will bulk largely in radio programmes during the election campaign. ’’’ "

• Third Amendment Something of a record was established in the passing of ‘the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill on Thursday night. True, it was only a measure of two clauses, but the very principle involved—the alteration of legislation on which the. ink was hardly dry—could Have been expected to rouse some' measure of protest.

The need for the from the fact that In'tlie ’l&ffi establishing the second Arbitration Court provision was made for the selection of a president from T-ihd Supreme Court Judges. Then it was decided to offer the post to Mr W. J. Hunter, a practising . barrister and solicitor of ChristphitTph. With, . the, result that an altersttloiirtn thA’hsglslati(m became necessary. Before the amending Bill was introduced the Prime Minister .could be Sden. in conversation with the leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, apparently explaining the urgency Mr the. legislation. The GovernorGeneral’s message was introduced shortly before 10 o’clock and “provision was made' in accordance with his Excellency’s message” so expeditiously tljat tlie'House was able to adjourn at the normal hour of 10,30. The general reaction was probably summed up by Mr S. G. Holland (Nationalist, Chirstcfiurch. 1 North) who merely congratulated the.. Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, on the introduction of •his. 1 “weekly amendment to the Arbitration Act.” i The three major reports . presented during, the week . will probably be debated <at length before the session closes. The Public Works Statement, providing .for an experiditure of more than. £18,500,000 will be discussed as a iJrelimlriary to the consideration 1 ot the Public Works Estimate this week. The debate oil the Finance Bill, which authorises various payments from the pairy Industry Accpunt, will probably qpen up discussion-on the first annual report of the Marketing Department, while items from the Broadcasting Report will almost certainly be raised during consideration of the estimates of the National Broadcasting Service. A fair measure of work still remains

to be, dealt with by the’ House. Further legislation has to be introduced, the Supplementary Estimates have to be presented and passed and altogether it appears that a lively, pace will have to be set during the next few weeks if the House is to adjourn for the Christmas recess by December 11.