Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 80a

Early Hours Proposed

Early Hours Proposed.

However, he had looked into this question, and so had his colleagues. They were in Wellington, and it was their duty to see that the business of the country, which should be a first duty with members, was done. He had been told that the late sittings had had a great deal to do with his illness. Under the circumstances, he thought he could claim to be exempt from these late sittings. He would give a trial to the early closing movement—(applause)—and if members were sitting in Wellington the whole year round, they could blame the early closing movement for it. (Laughter). They were told that the session lasted four months now. What about that, if the business required to be done? Members were paid a salary of £300 a year, and when that Act was being passed one of the strongest arguments advanced in its favour was that the country would be able to claim this service from them when it paid them a yearly salary, (A voice: "Quite right," and applause.) Formerly members were paid two hundred guineas for the session, and the sessions then did not last very long. Far be it from him to cast a reflection, for he claimed that in New Zealand we had the most straight forward, energetic, intelligent and unselfish men who ever represented a people within the great British Empire. (Applause). The coming session would be like the sessions which preceded it. There would probably be a debate on the Address-in Reply. Last session three weeks had been taken in debating that address. There were gives to private members in the first six weeks, two nights every week, so that for the first six weeks of the session the Government had only twelve nights in which to do their business. He did not wish to cast a reflection upon the Bills of private members. It often happened that a Bill introduced by a private member, having been debated, and considered by the people, ultimately became law. As was always the case, the Government had to perfect such Bills, and place them upon the statute-book; but he did not complain, and he held that those who said that the six weeks of the session were wasted in which the Bills of private members were discussed were doing an injustice to private members and to the representatives of this colony. When the grass was green, and the spring had advanced, members would homeward hie, rejoicing and blaming the Premier for having kept them a week or two longer. He had very broad shoulders, however, and as someone had to take the blame, he accepted it. (Laughter).