I want to suggest to the House that we take No. 3 on the Order Paper now. Whatever the future of the House, it is important that this Conditions of Employment Bill should become law as soon as possible, and I ask the House to take it now in order that the people who are to get benefits under it will get them as soon as possible.
Land Purchase (Guarantee Fund) Bill, 1935—Committee of Privileges. - Order of Business.
I should like to refer the House to certain matters in connection with various Bills. The Government have intimated to me their desire that items Nos. 3 and 4 be given priority over item No. 2. The House has heard what Senator Foran has said but I am altogether in the hands of the House in the matter.
As I am more or less interested, having a motion down, I want to say that although I do not want to take any unreasonable attitude at all—this is the busiest time of the year for me—I should like to see these Bills taken. Two or three Senators have suggested to me that it would be very much better if this motion, and the Bill to which it relates, were taken on the first occasion on which we meet after Christmas. We shall probably have to meet again for the Report Stage of the Conditions of Employment Bill. I am willing to do either, but if it is agreed to postpone it until then, we could get all the other business disposed of to-day.
If it is necessary, I should like to propose that item No. 2 be postponed until 15th January. I think that would suit the convenience of a great number of the Senators. There is, of course, another amendment in connection with the matter received to-day.
It is for the House itself to decide its own business.
I second Senator Blythe's proposal.
I support the proposal. The suggestion is that we postpone item No. 2 on the Order Paper until we meet after Christmas, at which meeting we can deal with the Report Stage of the Conditions of Employment Bill. We are very near Christmas and do not want to delay the House unduly. I think the proposal is the most feasible course and I strongly support it.
This has come rather as a surprise to me, because, when we were discussing the arrangements for to-day's programme, I indicated to the Clerk's Office that we might possibly take items No. 2 and No. 3, dispose of them and then proceed to the other business. I felt that the House had been summoned for the usual two days and that possibly Senator Douglas' motion and the Bill itself might be disposed of. While I have no wish to offer strenuous objection to the proposal now made, it comes rather as a surprise to find that it is made at 4 o'clock on the day that the business is to be disposed of. I cannot see any reason why the business should not go on to-day and to-morrow. Allowing a reasonable time to everybody to express his views on the measures before the House, we should be able to finish before to-morrow night. I do not want to press that point of view unduly, but I feel that I personally have hardly been treated fairly in the matter. It comes as a complete surprise to have this suggestion made at this hour.
I am willing to go on with my proposal. Representations were made to me by a number of members that it should be postponed and I mentioned the matter to some of the Whips and said that I would leave the matter in the hands of the House.
I pointed out to the House that, so far as I knew, the desire of the Minister for Lands was that items Nos. 3 and 4 on the Order Paper should be given priority over item No. 2. Senators Douglas and Blythe thought that by getting rid of No. 2 quickly, items Nos. 3 and 4 could be attended to at once. There is a motion before the House that consideration of the Constitution (Amendment No. 24) Bill, 1934, be deferred until the 15th January. I shall take any amendment Senators wish to propose to that motion. If there is no amendment, I shall put the motion.
Question put and declared carried.
Consideration of Constitution (Amendment No. 24) Bill, 1934, adjourned until the 15th January, 1936.