WHEN WILL THE SESSION END?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 5

WHEN WILL THE SESSION END?

RELAXATION OP THE. RULESr ' ;"_ WILL THE LAND BILL BE DROPPED? .When the House .met last night the Speaker remarked that it'was.usual towards the end of' a 'session for him 'to' make'ari announcement that all Bills that had been introduced on one sitting day or read a second time could'bo carried through all their stages at one sitting. From that evening tho rules of tho House would be relaxed to enable that to be done. Sir Joseph Ward: And that new business may be taken after 12.30 a.m. The Speaker: That would have to be the subject of a resolution. Mr. Massey: I hope the House will not agree to. the course which the Prime Minister, suggests, and I advise him not to movo to that effect. Would Sir'•' Joseph inform the House if it were a'fact'that the session was to come to an end-before Christmas? If that were' to be the case, there could be no objection to the relaxation of the rules to the extent decided upon,by tho Speaker. But if there was to be an autumn session it would be unfair to relax any of the rules. The Prime Minister should make a definite statement as to what: business it was intended to put through, and .when ; the session would come to an end. . . j The Prime Minister-said that he proposed to try and finish by. the 23rd.. It would depend entirely on the House. He could not be expected to outline exactly what was proposed to: be 'done. Ho did not want to take any now business after midnight, but it would facilitate business if that could bo done.-.From.what he could see, it might be necessary to sit ur the mornings after this week. ■.' '. ' ...' Mr. Massey: Do you intend to go on with tho Land Bill? • Sir Joseph: I hope to tako.it. .. Mr. Massey: Between now • and the 23rd? . Sir Joseph: I hope to be able to do so. Mr. Massey: If you'can't get through by Christmas, what is the use of going to all this'trouble?'■ .'■■-.. , ■ .„ ' ' '■ Sir Joseph: I want to do it ■■ if I can, and the Opposition should assist me to get on with tne business. I don't want to ask the House \to come back . for any early session next, year, but I believe that wo shall have to sit earlier next year than in previous year. I hope the Land Bill will be through ..before their . . Mr. Massey: I would sooner we did a little business and did it well than that we did a lot of business and did it badly. .Sir Joseph: Those are sentiments-with which I heartily agree. It is a principle that we always follow but'.never talk about. Mr. Herries inquired whother in tho event of tho House having to sit after Christmas the relaxation of the rules would continue. He was quite certain that the Land Bill could not be put through this session. If the House had to come back after Christmas, he hoped that it would sit under the usual rules. . The Speaker: The rules are being relaxed on the assumption that the House will adjourn before Christmas; If we have' to come back, I take it that the old rules will.again come into.force. ';.•■' ' . •; Mr. Massey (to Sir Joseph): I would like to know what passed in caucus as to what, is to be done. ' .■':'.'■ ,',., ■ ■',■•'' Sir Joseph: And I would like to know what happened at the Opposition caucus to-day. Mr. Massey,: Oh! • Sir Joseph: I sometimes get to know. There was no further discussion on'.,the subject. •'... '.;