SESSIONS PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1506, 31 July 1912, Page 6

SESSIONS PROSPECTS

PARLIAMENT RESUMES TO-DAY

HIGH COMMIS3IONERSHIP.

I THE MIKADO'S DEATH: AN ADJOURNMENT.

OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP.

The period of three weeks granted to the Government, when it assumed office, ' has now expired, and Parliament will meet to-day to'pass Supply and to carryon the work of tho session. Cabinet sat for thrco hours yes-terday afternoon, most of the time being spent in a Teview of | the Financial Statement, which is now ■■ in the hands of the printer.

i Most of tho northern members are 'already in town", but a number of the '•southern representatives are to arrive today.

I Those' who arrived from the north ty r Main Trunk express yesterday Sir'- Arthur Guinness (Speaker), ,6ir' J. Ward (Awarua), Messrs. >A. Harris (Waitemata), J. G. Coates (Kaiipara),"J. 11. Bradnoy (Auckland West), J. JJickson (Parnell), 1Y Lang (Manuktiu), .T. Bollard (Eden), R. P. Bolland (Raglan), 1). Buicjc. (Palmerston North), and J. Payne (Grey Lynn). Two members of tho i Upper House were included in the party, ,the Hon. G. Jones and tho Hon. W. Boe•lian. DEATH OF THE MIKADO. The death of the Alikado of Japan has a somewhat important bearing upon to- , day's sitting of the Houso of Representatives. ' So important an event as the i .death of a sovereign of a country which ;is in alliance with Great Britain cannot be ignored by any British Parliament. On the other hand, tho passage of tho Imprest' Supply Bill, which Will engage the.attention of tho House of Representatives , to-day, comes within tho category of urgent business, which cannot be,postponed. The House will bo faced by tho i alternatives of , dealing with the Imprest 'Bill during tho afternoon sitting, and ; adjourning for tho, day at 5.30 p.m., or iof adjourning earlier than usual in tho 1 infternoon, and dealing with' the Imprest I ..Bill at the evening sitting. To adopt the i -latter alternative would be to pay a somewhat inadequate tribute of respect to ] the late Emperor of' Japan, and tlifl ; probability is that the House will be in- , vited to deal with the Imprest Bill during 1 tho afternoon, and adjourn- for the day. Precedents are not wanting to justify 'such a "course. On tho day wlien Parlia- : iment adjourned out of respect to the j memory of the late Mr. T. E. Taylor, an ■ Imprest Bill was put .through without 1 'debate. . t 'the high c&vimissionership. Although the Prime Minister will probj ably announce to-day/that the ■ Govern-■ i ment : lias appointed a successor to ■ Sir i Wm., Hall-Jones in tho office of High i - Commissioner, it is possiblo that a further 'delay of a .day or two may .'occur. It ; is considered certain that tho Hon. T. Mackenzie v.-ill be appointed, but' a technical difficulty has- arisen which may not be overcome for a day or two. It has lieen decided by Cabinet that the new High Commissioner sliall be appointed for a term of three years. Mr. C.- Wray Palliser (secretary to , the High Commissioner's Office), who was .appointed Act-ing-High'Commissioner for .a month when. Sir Wm. IfalWones retired, will be asked to carry on the duties of the office until the . new High Commissioner • arrives in London. The Prime Minister stated last ; evening that Mr. Palliser was giving the , utmost satisfaction to tho Government by ' his work. • ATTITUDE OF MEMBERS. • Although many members, including nearly tho whole strength of the Government following, were in town yesterday, the Parliamentary lobbies were very quiet, and often were quite deserted. Members " who were spoken to yesterday all seemed to 'be 1 taking thing 3 quietly. There is a complete absence of-the excitement which obtained in the days preceding the fall of the Mackenzie Government! Even avowed opponents of the Government appear to be looking.forward to work rather than to political warfare. Some of those who have not hitherto seen eyo to eye with the Reform Party profess to be mainly interested in tho policy proposals which the Government is"to lay'before tha' House, and state that-their, attitude in the immediate future will be governed by the nature of these proposals. A FORMER MEMBER. One item of business which will engage the attention of the House of Representatives to-day will be the passing of a motion .of condolence with relatives - of the late Mr. E. 0'Co:-mor," who represented' the Bull-er seat in tho House cf Representatives Mine years' ago. THE OPPOSITION, Some prominent members of tho- Opposition have not yet arrived ir. town, arid the attitulo which their party will adopt in the. immediate future is still a matter-of.speculation, but the opinion seems to be fairly general, that no motion of want of confidence in the. present Administration will bo proposed this session. Lobby rumour has it that the ' Reform . party has already gained soveral recruits ' _ in addition, to thoso who voted with it in ' the division which oecidcd the fate of the Mackenzie Governmeiit. - A meeting of the Opposition members is to lo held this morning. The question of leadership will no doubt bo discussed, but it is unlikely that finality will be reached in tliis matter in tae near future. It is considered probablo that no leader of tho Opposition will be apointed this session. Mr. G. Wl Russell,-the'member for Avon, is believed to bo willing to fill tho vacancy, but there are said to lie members of the Opposition who do not regard his candidature with ' favour.