THE SESSION. «

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20089, 19 November 1930, Page 18

THE SESSION.

ADDRESS BY MR E. J. I HOWARD, M.P. Eeviewing the 3930 Parliamentary session recently concluded Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., addressed nearly 100 people last evening at the IHekena Btreet Hall, Addington, when he traced the main features of the session, and offered a number of criticisms of Bills which had gone through the House. Mr George Manning was in the chair. Mr Howard expressed regret that the session had been marked at its contr mencement by the deaths of three knights—Sir Joseph Ward, Sir George Hunter, and Sir Maui Pomare. The session had been, he Eaid, a peculiar one, for after the death of Sir Joseph Ward there was noticeable a distinct pessimism, which was reflected in the public outloolc. . At the beginning of the session, said Mr Howard, Parliament possessed little "go," and it was not until the later stages that much work was put through. Then there was such an amount that members got little sleep and frayed tempers. The Labour Party, said the speaker, had not compromised itself with any other Party in the House, and had stood for the workers of New Zealand. Mr Howard dealt with the Unemployment Bill, stressing the fact that men earning only £4 a w6ek were forced to pay the same levy as those earning £4O a week. He regretted the Act very much. An impression had been gained by some unions, however, that provisions in the. Bill enabled collection of the money due to a man by his baker, his landlord,; or various other people. Although the Bill provided for collection by the wife of. a beneficiary, or other authorised persons, collection by any of those first-mentioned had never been the intention of the House. The provisions had been mis-read by some unions. Mr Howard dealt also with the railway policy of the Government, characterising it as being antagonistic to the interests of New Zealanders. The whole session, he declared, had not run smoothly, and had been marked by indecision and uncertainty. The speaker answered several questions at the conclusion of his address, und was accorded a vote of thanks.