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MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1970

The House met at 2 p.m.

On the motion of Mrs. E.E. Dailly, the following Bills were introduced, read a first time, and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today:

Bill (No. 42) intituled An Act to Amend the Female Minimum Wage Act.

Bill (No. 41) intituled An Act to Amend the Male Minimum Wage Act.

Pursuant to Order, the House again resolved itself into the Committee of Supply.

(Estimates of the Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance)

The Chairman reported progress, and asked leave for the Committee to sit again.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Cowichan-Malahat.

MR. R.M. STRACHAN: I am protesting what happened in Committee when a member who was on his feet was interrupted by the Premier, and the whole procedure that got you back in the Chair was completely illegal and completely out of order.

MR. SPEAKER: Will the honourable member please be seated for a moment. Let me say that the procedure was quite proper and was interrupted not by any particular individual of the House but was interrupted by the clock. Because the attention of the Chairman was drawn to the clock, he properly rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again. This is the procedure that was adopted. It is the proper procedure and you'll find references for it, I am sure, in many of the more important volumes that are used for the direction of this House.

One moment please. The Honourable the Leader of the Opposition.

MR. D. BARRETT: On a point of order. Would the Speaker clarify that when a member is on his feet that there can be no interruption by way of introducing a motion to the House.

MR. SPEAKER: You are quite correct. He can only be interrupted by the clock.

MR. BARRETT: Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the First Member for Vancouver–Point Grey.

MR. P.L. McGEER: On a point of order. Would you, just for the benefit of our members here, indicate under which of the Standing Orders the Chairman leaves the Chair and causes the Committee to rise and report progress without ever a motion for the Committee to rise having been taken. I don't see that in the Standing Orders here.

MR. SPEAKER: You won't find it in our Standing Orders, but you'll find it amplified in certain of the other volumes such as May and Beauchesne which I will be happy to give you later.

The House adjourned at 6.02 p.m.

The House met at 8 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, at the time of adjournment of the afternoon sitting, a point of order was raised as to the procedure adopted concluding the business of the Committee and the subsequent adjournment of the House. I expressed the opinion at that time that the procedure adopted was the correct one and in so ruling referred honourable members to the fact that the procedure in question is not set forth in our Standing Orders but in accordance with our Standing Order No. 1, "The usages and customs of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland as in force at the time shall be followed." The English practice will be found at page 633, in the 17th edition of Sir Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice which reads as follows: "the Chairman is either directed (the question to that effect having been put and agreed to) to 'report progress and ask leave to sit again,' or (if proceedings in the Committee are cut short by the hour of interruption) he reports progress and asks leave to sit again without such direction." I readily appreciate the interest and concern of honourable members in questioning the procedure followed, as theJournals of the House do not disclose any previous statement on the matter. Accordingly I have now stated these reasons so that they might appear in theJournals for future reference and guidance.

The Hon. F.X. Richter presented to Mr. Speaker a Message from His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

On the motion of the Hon. F.X. Richter, Bill (No. 40) intituled Mineral Processing Act was introduced, read a first time, and Ordered to be placed on theOrders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

On the motion of the Hon. R.G. Williston, Bill (No. 38) intituled British Columbia Professional Foresters Act was introduced, read a first time and Ordered to be placed on theOrders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

Pursuant to Order, the House again resolved itself into the Committee of Supply.

(Estimates of the Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance)

The Committee rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.

The House adjourned at 11.10 p.m.