POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16962, 11 October 1920, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

(SrECIAL TO "THE PRESS.">

WELLINGTON. October 10

Solid Work.

Parliament hrfs been doing, very solid work this so<sion. and there lins boon no undue delay in getting important 'nis.iiio*s through; indeed, the House liivs boon working faster than the Law Draft in tr Depart men t, with the result il'.al night the Order layer was nlmost <-!enmf of unimportant (.>»- Vi.-ninu-.it lii!i«. The most important measure remaining on tho Order 1 apt-r was the ],nnd and Income Tax Amendment P.ii), but last week tho I nine Minister promise;! that he would not hurry ihk pill through. The probability is that it will not bo considered in Committee until Tuesday or 'Wednesday.

i The Eivttor Question. J One reason why there is.so little Government business on the Order Paper j k thnt «vven:l matters are still before h'arliament.Try Committees. Tho butrer question has to be reported to the Mouse and is likely to provoke a good deal of discussion. ' Possibly the Government may decide- to come to tho assistance of the consumer, though not to tho extent of the full difference in price as between tho old and new season's hutie: The Minister of Finance can sr*Rivrly be expected to put a very big strain on the Consolidated Fund in connexion with such a subject, Mr Hunter's Gaming Bill. To-morrow's sitting will bo occupied mainly- with Mr Geo. Hunter's Gaming Act; Amendment Uill, which provides for some increase in the number of totalisator permits. The question is a non-partv one, lint it is sitro to lfe vigorously opposed by anti-gamblers on both side's of the House, and as vigorously advocated by "tho sports" on the Opposition as well 'as on the Government side. A Into sitting in.iv be exported. Even if the Bill passes the- I/Ower House, of which there is sonie'doubt. it is not nt all certain that it will pass in the tipper House.

End of Session. There seems to tie no renson now why the session should not end in the iirsb weik in November, unless somethins unoxnectcd liappons to provoke lengthy debates.

The Freehold. It is quite apparent that the present House is strongly freehold, and that it will not tolerate proportional representation. The discussion on the To Aroha leases showed a substantial majority in favour of the freehold, as did iilso the debate on the proposal to givo the freehold to the Rotorua leaseholders. At first blush the latter proposal struck some supporters of the Government as unnecessary and inadvisable, but the advocates of the idea are convinced that it will bo a good thing for j Rotorua, and for the Dominion as a whole. Vn to the present Rotorua has hcen a perfect "sink" for Government expenditure, and it is held to be assured that considerable advantages will accrue,, if the Rotorua people obtain the freehold, pav rates, and undertake their own municipal work. Legislation will be introduced with a view to Rotorua becoming a borough, and managing its own affairs like any other town. Proportional Representation. The feeling in regard to proportional representation is an indication that the law regarding proportional representation for the election of-members of the Legislative Council could not pass the House of Representatives. Under the circumstances there seems nothing for it but to further delay tho idea, and to find some other way out of the impasse, either next session or the following one.