HOUSE HOME IN GOOD TIME

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3462, 14 October 1913, Page 5

HOUSE HOME IN GOOD TIME

OPPOSITION ABANDONS OB-

STRUCTION TACTICS.

PREMIER FIRM TO THE LAST.

[by telegraph—parliamentary COBBESrONDENT:

WELLINGTON, Oct. 13. The question that occupied the members of the House to-day when they met in continuation of Friday’s sittings in Committee was whether the blockade on the Land Bill was to be raised or whether the stonewall was to go on. The proceedings dragged on until 10 o’clock to-night when the Prime Minister made a statement a£s to how far he intended to proceed before adjourning. When the House resumed at 2.30, statements were made bv the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Joseph Ward) and the Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Ward declared that the Opposition had no desire to hold up the Land Bill, and that whatever obstruction had taken place on Friday night and Saturday was directed only* against clause 25 (dealing with the Hauraki pastoral land) and not against the Bill as a whole. Mr Massey retorted that it would be hard to convince his side of the House that there had not been deliberate obstruction, and he remarked that he had heard one member express the opinion that the obstruction should go on until the Land Bill was dropped or a dissolution was forced. Mr Payne (Grey Lynn) remarked that this came from the Labor party, and Sir Joseph Ward said that it certainly did not come from the Liberal party. Mr Massey: It is difficult to understand what comes from the Labor party and what comes from the Liberal party. It seemed quite certain that the members of the Opposition had made up their mir.ds to retard the business of the House. He did not include the Leader of the Opposition in this remark, as he had never found him unreasonable. He (Mr Massey) was never unreasonable, but he was not going to lie imposed upon. He would do his duty and he would do it and take the consequences whatever they' might lie. After some further discussion the Bill was proceeded with on the understanding that the Prime Minister would indicate in the evening how far he proposed to go. To-night the progress made was very slow. Clause 25 was passed just before the 5.30 adjournment, and then the House entered upon a long discussion on Clause 26. which provides for the extension of the right- to acquire the freehold.

At 10 o’clock Mr Massey intimated that he proposed to continue to sit until all clauses down to 40 were got through. He desired to finish the Bill (which consists of 53 clauses) in this and another sitting.

Sir Joseph Ward said that the Prime Minister had no more chance of getting down to clause 40 to-night than he had of bringing the session to a close at the end of the week. He intimated that he did not acquiesce in the arrangement. The discussion then proceeded without any arrangement between the parties being arrived at, but shortly before half-past eleven it suddenly became evident that the members of the Opposition had decided to discontinue the obstruction, and several clauses were passed in rapid succession. By a quarter to 12 all misgivings had vanished and there was a sigh of relier among members on both sides at the assured prospect of getting home in good time.. Clause 39 was passed at one minute to 12. and as clause 40 had to be struck out owing to the necessity for substituting a new clause at the end of the Bill, the business of the evening was concluded on the stroke of midnight