The House met at 2:00 p.m.

Prayers

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the Premier.

HON. W.A.C. BENNETT (Premier): Mr. Speaker, we have in the gallery today three outstanding citizens from the most dynamic, the most beautiful city in all British Columbia — Kelowna area.

Mr. Walter Bennett — no relation, there are lots of Bennetts around these days. Even the executive or assistant to the leader of the Liberal Party has a Bennett too representing him. These days Bennetts are everywhere but they're no relation. Mr. Walter Bennett, Mr. James Stewart and Mr. Alan Harrison. They head the regional district of Central Okanagan. I'd ask all the Members to give them a warm welcome.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Oak Bay.

MR. G.S. WALLACE (Oak Bay): Mr. Speaker, we have students in the gallery today from Oak Bay Senior Secondary with their teacher, Mr. Taylor. I'd ask you to give them a warm welcome.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Alberni.

MR. H.R. McDIARMID (Alberni): Mr. Speaker, we have in the gallery today students from the Qualicum Beach Secondary School together with their teachers Mr. McMurray and Mr. Price who incidentally is a cousin of the second Member from Vancouver-Burrard (Mr. Price). I'd just like to say that the beautiful area of Qualicum Beach takes second place not even to Kelowna, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the first Member for Vancouver-Burrard.

MR. H.J. MERILEES (Vancouver-Burrard): Mr. Speaker, in the Ladies' Gallery today is the wife of the distinguished vice-consul for Spain, Mrs. Frank Barnard, and her daughter, and I ask the House to give them a very warm welcome.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Nanaimo.

MR. F.J. NEY (Nanaimo): Mr. Speaker, in the gallery today we have two directors of the Nanaimo Downtown Merchants' Association, Alan Fletcher and Bill Jarvis, and I'd like you to give them a cordial welcome.

Introductions of bills.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the Minister of Recreation.

HON. W.K. KIERNAN (Minister of Recreation): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a message from His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.

AN ACT TO AMEND THE REGIONAL PARKS ACT

MR. SPEAKER: The Lieutenant-Governor transmits herewith a bill intituled An Act to Amend the Regional Parks Act and recommends the same to the legislative assembly. Dated at Government House, February 22, 1972.

House in Committee on Bill No. 36, An Act to Amend the Regional Parks Act.

On the recommendation of the committee, Bill No. 36 introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Orders of the day.

House in committee of supply. The committee rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

MR. SPEAKER: Well, the Speaker has just gained the chair and the Chairman has reported progress and asks leave for the committee to sit again. My first question is when shall the committee sit again?

HON. W.A.C. BENNETT (Premier): At the next sitting of the House, Mr. Speaker. I move the House at its rising stand adjourned until 8:00 p.m. this evening.

MR. D. BARRETT (Leader of the Opposition): Point of order, Mr. Speaker. There's no report.

MR. SPEAKER: You've heard the motion. Are you ready for the question? The Hon. Member has a point of order?

MR. BARRETT: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. There was no report from committee. There was no motion passed from the committee to report.

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the Chairman of the committee reported to the Speaker progress and asked leave to sit again.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

MR. SPEAKER: The Hon. Member is rising to a point of order?

AN HON. MEMBER: I repeat the motion to adjourn.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

AN HON. MEMBER: I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker, but pardon me, the motion is debatable.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

MR. SPEAKER: Setting the time for adjournment is a debatable motion. Would the Honourable Member please proceed.

MR. B.A. CLARK (North Vancouver–Seymour): Mr. Speaker, speaking to the motion to adjourn I would request that you consider that the House not adjourn at this time because you have received an incorrect report from the Chairman of the committee. Therefore I would request that you rule this motion out of order until such time as you have

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received a correct report from the committee.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

MR. SPEAKER: It would appear to me from studying May, page 633, of the 17th edition, that the committee has no power either to adjourn its own sitting or to adjourn its consideration of any matter for a future sitting. So the only alternative that would seem to be left to the Chairman of the committee is to report progress to the Speaker and ask leave to sit again, which I think he has quite properly done. The motion now before the House is that the House at its rising adjourn until 8:00 p.m. this evening. I put this motion to the House now.

Motion approved.

Interjections by Hon. Members.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Hon. Mr. Bennett moves adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 6:04 p.m.

The House met at 8:00 p.m.

Introduction of bills.

Orders of the day.

House in committee of supply. The committee rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.

MR. CHAIRMAN: The committee asks leave of the House to have the division which took place on vote No. 2 recorded.

MR. SPEAKER: We'll deal first with the division that took place in the committee on vote No. 2. Leave has been requested to record the division in the Journals of the House. Shall leave be granted?

Leave granted.

Hon. Mr. Bennett moves adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 11:41 p.m.