THE SESSION

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24625, 23 July 1945, Page 4

THE SESSION

♦ QUIET DEBATE LAST WEEK SECOND DEPUTATION THIS WEEK (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 22. The absence of party leaders in Dunedin and the gradual running down of the spring of the Address-in-Reply debate made last week a quiet one m the House of Representatives. This week, no matter what the subjects of discussion may be, ‘there will be a new sharpness fin the air because of the Dunedin North polling. . „ The main event of last week m Parliament was the. visit of a large farmers’ deputation to the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash). Although it was not easy to see what result it achieved, this week an even larger deputation is planned—that organised by the Dominion Council of Combined Business Associations to object to the Government’s banking proposal. Whether the Labour movement carnqs out Its promise to join the deputation, with the opposite end in view, or not, this will probably be the largest body of men to make representations to the Government for years. If Labour does join in, it will be an interesting occasion too. In the House itself last week the most important subject raised was stabilisation, but it was discussed almost entirely from one angle, that of the farmers. A passing reference to wider problems was made by Mr W. A. Sheat (Opposition, Patea) who contended that stabilisation had been endangered by the use of too much bank credit.

Speaking to the farmers’ deputation later in the day, Mr Nash indirectly gave the Government’s reply to this line of thought when he said he thought it would be found that New Zealand had used less bank credit for war purposes than any other country. Government members made it quite clear that they expected the future of the arm£d forces would be discussed in the House before a decision was made. In the past such discussions have been held in secret session, but the last secret session more than a year ago did not seem to please members, and it is unlikely, in changed circumstances, that the House will adopt this course.