POLITICAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21290, 9 October 1934, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES

—♦ — [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, October 8. Town-planning Although the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young) has enough work on hand to keep him occupied .until two or three o'clock every morning, and although the portfolio of employment has added greatly to his responsibilities, he has not lost sight of the problem of town-planning. When he was approached on this subject tonight, he gave an assurance that no local body need be apprehensive about failing to obtain reports on any town-planning scheme it migiu be preparing. There might have been some little delay, he said, in. the setting up of the necessary machinery; but arrangements were being made to have all reports fully considered by a competent adviser to the department. Any municipal community desirous of promoting a plan could do so with the utmost confidence that this plan would be investigated in due course in accordance with the terms of the act,

A Stock-taking Department A stock-taking of the business which will require to be dealt with by Parliament before the contemplated adjournment of the session until earlv next year is expected to be undertaken by the Cabinet this week. The chief factor controlling the immediate programme is still the Dairy Industry Commissions report, which is expected to be in the hands of the Cabinet by next Monday at the latest. Meanwhile, a draft of the bill has been prepared to give effect to certain aspects of the problem in the light of the commission's preliminary private report to the Cabinet. This measure is understood to provide principally for the reconstitution of the Dairy Produce Control Board. The Minister for Finance (the Rt Hon. J. G. Coates) said this evening that the bill would shortly be placed before the Cabinet for consideration. It is uncertain yet whether this bill will be introduced in Parliament before the report of the inter-departmental committee, under the chairmanship of Mr P. D. N. Verschaffelt, which collated statistical and other information related to the National Mortgage Corporation scheme, has been received by Mr Coates. The Minister is not yet able to state whether the legislation on the subject will be introduced before the House rises and it is understood that the decision on that question is dependent in part on the tenor of the report of the Dairy Industry Commission.

Another Finance Bill The House is half way through consideration of the main estimates, and with the co-operation of members it should be possible to pass the remaining items in two or thre3 more sittings. The supplementary estimates were completed to-day, and their appearance is regarded as one of the signs of the end of a session, although in the present instance the session will really have two endings. Another Finance Bill, which is understood to consist almost entirely of "miscellaneous" washing-up provisions, will also be brought down shortly. Few of the Government bills still on the order paper can be regarded ns urgent, and further consideration of most of them will be. probably deferred until the New Year. However, it is considered necessary to pass the Mining Amendment Bill, which is now before the Mines Committee. Monetary Report On resuming to-morrow, the House will discuss the report of the Monetary Committee. It is fully expected that many members will desire to participate in this debate, and representations will probably be made to the Government to set aside more than one day for the purpose; but with a general desire to adjourn by the end of this month it may be difficult to allot extra time for debating the report, which has more an academic than a practical value, and is unlikely to lead to legislative action. Even by keeping to the main essentials, the House will have to work hard to finish the urgent business within the next three weeks, and it may even be the first week in November before the adjournment is reached.

Melbourne Centenary Several members of Parliament hope to attend the Centenary celebrations in Melbourne, and most of these have booked passages by the Wanganella on October 25. A decision is expected to be made this week regarding the Ministerial representation. Several names have been mentioned, including those of Mr Coates, Mr Masters, and Mr Young. No doubt the general desire would be that Mr Coates should go; but his responsibilities are particularly onerous, and it may not be possible for him to leave by the end of the month. .The last possible date for the departure of a Minister will be October 30, when the Monowai sails; and if the House has adjourned by then Mr Coates may be the Ministerial representative.