THE SESSION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13227, 22 September 1908, Page 7

THE SESSION.

NEARING THE END. (SPECIAI. TO "THE TRESS.") , WELLINGTON, September 21. To-day is the last "off Monday" of the session; and members are now looking forward to the end. Tho Public Works Statement will bo brought down to-morrow, and on Wednesday the Prime Minister will make a statement as to the business that the Government intends to proceed with this session. This statement will no doubt give an indication'as to .when the session is likely to end. At present opinions are greatly divided; some members aver their belief that Parliament will prorogue by the end-of next week; others say three weeks!,' and others, again, four weeks. . , Members are generally anxious to get away in order to start their election campaign,- and to overtake their opponents where the latter have already got to work, and the Prime Minister's statement, is accordingly being awaited with interest. ■ • • Later. Some members of long standing and experience declare that it is impossible for tho end of the session to bu reached by Friday week, as hopefully predicted by some other members. The Government, it is pointed out, may drop Ti good deal their programme, but thorn is a limit somewhere. The Arbitration Bill can hardly occupy less than two days, for tho completion of tho Committee stage and tho third reading debate. Another day must Ik? devoted to tho debate mi the Public Works Statement, and the Public Works Estimates will doubtless consume another day. Thus four sitting days, which make up a Parliamentary week, aro accounted for. After that half a day for the Woodward street transaction, a day for the Parliamentary and Government buildings question, half a day for the Sc-ond Ballot 'Bill on its return from the Upper House, and two nights in Committee of Supply on the Supplementary Estimates will just about make up another ireok, and these things are not all, lor time will havo to bo found for the debate on the new dairy regulations, tho Education Bill (completion of Committee stage and third rending), local Bills (half a day), and seven cr eight Government measures which cannot very well be dropped.