ANOTHER SESSION?

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 289, 6 December 1928, Page 10

ANOTHER SESSION?

LEGISLATION IN PROSPECT. UNITED LEADER'S STATEMENT EITHER NOW OR FEBRUARY. ANXIOUS TO GET TO WORK. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Keporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Signs of coming events were made plain to intensely interested legislators in the House of Representatives this afternoon, when Sir Joseph Ward, from his position on the Opposition side intercepted a motion of the Prime Minister that the' House should adjourn. The Leader of the Opposition asked if it was intended when the House resumed at 2.30 on Thursday afternoon that the Address-in-Reply debate should go on. "Yes," replied the Prime Minister, who suggested that after the formal business the speeches of the mover and seconder should be taken, and the House could follow on with the debate. "I know the general custom is to adjourn after the first two speeches," continued Mr. Coates, "but in this case we could meet the convenience of members, and probably that of the country, more effectively if we continued the debate." (Hear, hear.) "I suggest," continued Mr. Coates, "that, if it can be arranged with the various parties, we should complete the debate on Friday night, or Saturday morning—what I mean is that we should nnish either Friday night or some time on Saturday morning, and this would meet the convenience of members, and Sive them the week-end Hear. I make that suggestion to the other leaders of P *r tle *T we are certainly quite a^ree- \ We + ShOUld make an ™™n£. shorten down the number of speeches as far. a s practicable It wUI he serving the best interests of the House and of the country tod" Another Session Possible. Sir Joseph Ward's comment on the Prime Minister's suggestion aroused sreat interest. He personally approved the proposed arrangement, he said, and if it was approved he could arrange for one speaker from his side of the House, so that if there were expressions from

one representative of each of the three parties, all that was necessary for Parliament to do could be accomplished. "Unless an arrangement can be made," continued Sir Joseph, "it is only right for me to inform the House that "we would have to have a meeting of Parliament not later than February. "I had hoped it would have been possible, under an arrangement, to be able to do some legislating this session, otherwise it will be absolutely necessary for the House to meet during the month of February, or, at latest, early in March. It is not necessary for me to give my reasons now, but I will do that when I get the opportunity." The adjournment until Thursday afternoon was then taken. As Sir Joseph Ward explained subsequently, he is anxious to get certain legislation passed without delay, and. \i there, Is no ciianee this session, then 'ie. is not willing to wait longer than February. Obviously, the coming Prime Minister has in mind the necessity of securing the parliamentary authority for '.'xtended expenditure needed to expedite the Public Works construction programme on the lines explained fully in : iis pre-election speeches.

Relief of Unemployed. His plan serves the double purpose of proving that the United party's policy submitted to the electors was seriously intended for practical operation if opportunity offered, and it will give the Government power to relieve the unemployment situation with promptitude. If the new Government waited for the normal course of parliamentary events, nothing could be done until mid-winter, when it might be expected that the unemployment situation would have developed to its worst point. A suggestion was made this week that i preferential voting measure was also egarded as an urgent item on the com- ; ng programme, but the probability is 'hat this will be relegated to the background in the meantime. It is one of the significent indications of the general agreement among legislators that they need not make preparations for any early electioneering.