WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20056, 20 September 1920, Page 6

WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

GOVERNMENT'S CLOSE CALL. ESTIMATES FINISHED, MUCH TALK ON IMMIGRATION. (Special to tho “Star.”) YvELLLXG'iON, September 18, It the triino Minister, could re.lv on having on every .uojuiay uu experience Similar to thus ol last Monuav, ho would have reason to wish that the wcok was made up of Mondays ami Sundays, especially it he count persuade Mr Lysnar to go away lor the ween-end. Last Mouuay was the first Monday silting ol t.no- session, and tnoagh iitile uugiuess would he taken, what there was to do was completed with unexampled speed. Air Lysuar addressed a, spciam, in the tom of a senes or questions, wnn notes, to the A ..mister or Luucalion. liiat, strange us it may seem, was the principal Hein in Uio business of too evening, j.iiscmsluoii ol answers to questions followed, but io had no life in it, and it occupied so little time that Ministers wore ame io reply to eveiytmug mat was suid, a course that tncy uo not usually adopt. Liven the appearance of tne uiinnal report on Dmcnarged Soldiers betticment tailed to amuse discussion. Any idea, that mem hors had reiormed tor good was speedily dispelled on Tuesday. .1 lie To Arena Leases Mill made ds second appearance. this mil promises to cskmiish a record lor the number of interruptions that it has surV V 1 CAny . * ,nvuto ii]il would have died long heloro this, and even some public measures would be at their last gasp. 'there was just a little danger tnat the Bill would not be talked out'on iuesday, but the opposition had ample loi’ccs in reserve, with many arguments that avoided a charge of “ tedious repetition.’ On Wcuuesa'ay, when me BUI mane its third appearance there was no doubt about its late. A stonewall which can be broken down in twenty minutes is a very iragile structure, and there is nothing or fnndlity about tho Te Arolia blockade. Tile opposition did not even have to spur on suppoi tors of the Bill to come to their , * , a , ud reasons why tiie measure should go through. The Opposition was quite willing to listen to ‘reason—bo long as the talking, and the listening helped to till m gaps in, the debate. Sometimes the Louse surprises itself and everybody else by the way in which it will sink party differences and discuss important questions on their merit alone. It did so on. the Immigration Restriction Bill on Tuesday evening. U/very member that spoke was in agreement with the purpose of the measure, he control of Asiatic immigration, V lews differed as to the method of control; but they were honest differences, there was scarcely a speech in the debate which did not contribute something useful to the discussion—even Labour showed signs of moderation, there were two main suggestions put forward for controlling immigration in a manner different from that proposed by the Government. Labour suggested a more severe education test, aboiltion of the poll tax and limitation of the numbers of Asiatics to bo allowed to enter the Dominion in any one year. Entirely different was the proposal advanced by Air Dmvnie Stewart, a member who never speaks without thinking. i ns waa that diplomatic arrangements Bbould be concluded with China and lr T , wilicll immigration L?i d tf ired b and tllat those countries .Mould themselves undertake the limitation of emigration from their shores to New Zealand. When the Bill was taken in committee tho Labour proaiul l AL a^t re ' iee p d by a large id Alt Stew ait s proposal was not one which could bo embodied in an amendnn TM, a con T ttce stage was taken on Ihursday and was a proof of the speed with which Parliament can work without scamping legislation when it wants to get the work done. An example of how work should not be done was afforded on Wednesday with the Licensing Amendment Bill, tins is a small measure providing for two machinery amendments of the law. ii w m' ■ lavc keen accepted by lie Inhibition Party and the Aloderate League, and the Government took up the measure ou the understanding that nothing should be added t 0 the Bill. .1 his was made plain by Air Massey, who stated that if the House agreed to the amendments suggested by Mr Lvsnar and Mr. M’Calta, he wo.dd drop £ Bill. There was not the timc,.iio r this e * ighl tune, for wholesale overhaul of; the licensing law. With this view inembei sou both sides of the House appeared to be in general agreement, except Air Lysnar and Air Al’Callnm. Hie latter agreed to allow his proposals to be taken on the voices, but Air Lysnar ivas more persistent. Finally he was satisfied by a promise from the Prime Minister that a committee of tho House would set up next session to consider anomalies and amendments of the licensing law, and that an opportunity would be afforded for legislation, if it were proved that the urgency of B°™e of the proposals warranted it. ‘ 'Hie Native Trustee Bill was passed the same evening with very little discussion, apart from a speech in the Hon A. T. Ngata’s best style, regarding the claims of the Natives to full value for the lands which are purchased from them by the Government. Air Ngata claimed that the Government had been able to keep down the cost of soldier settlement, largely because of the favourable bargains that it had made in the purchase of Native lands. _ In preparation for the final consideration of the Estimates, the railways statement was presented ou Thursday, and led to the usual cataloguing of grievances. The North v. South light showed signs of reappearing, but only one or two members had time to give to this aspect of railway affairs. Railways was the first item on the Estimates for Friday 5 and those members who had expected that advantage would be taken of tho opportunity to issue another chapter of the book on local grievances, were shocked. Without wasting any time in preliminary debate the Leader of the Opposition divided the House on an amendment to reduce the Estimates by £o as an indication that railway servants should be given full civil and political rights. There is no instance this session of a division having been readied more quickly. ‘lf the Government was ready it did not appear so, for the result of the division was 30-30, and the chairman gave his vote against the amendment. Among the supporters of the amendment were Alessrs J. M. Dickson. Alitchell, A. K. Newman, Statham. Sykes and Wright. Another amendment was immediately proposed by Air Alitchell as an indication that children should be carried free on the railways up to seven years of age. This was debated for almost two hours, and even then the division was close, 32-28. It was a very tired House which left the Estimates finally at 1 a.m. The Legislative Council has had quite a busy time tins week, not so much with legislation as with a discussion started by tin* Hon J. B. Gow by a motion advocating tlio postponement of the . Legislative Council Act. on the ground that the present is not an opportune i time for bringing into operation so drastic a change in the Constitution. Sir ' Francis Bell affirmed the determination i of the Government not to take up legis- i lation which would bo a reversal of its ■ policy of Second Chamber reform. In ■ spite of this and the usual docility of j the _ Ooujncil,, Air Gow’s motion waa carried by 23 votes to 5. Of course the motion is not legislation, and whether 1 asything is done still depends on the House, which has to consider the Legis- . lative Conned Amendment Bill (which proposes nothing but minor alterations).

Couneii has also passed a number of IhUs; Taking /it dtcf aether, the Council has,,done, a very good weok’-s----work;, op a very bad week’s work according to the point of view.