POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 29, 29 October 1917, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

END OF THE SESSION

EXEMPTION QUESTION

The House of Kepresentatives eat until after II p.m. on baturday, and put the last important Bill of the session, tho Statute Law Amendment Bill, through all its stages. It will receive the Supplementary Estimates tu-niuht, but tlie date 'of the, closing of the session is made uncertain by the difficulty that has arisen regarding the exemption clause of tho Expeditionary Forces Bill; The rejection of this clause by the Council, following its amendment by. the House, has created a verir serious condition of. alfairs politically. The difficulties of settlement are not likely to prove insuperable, but tbey are substantial, awl tliey involve political and personal issues that are very near to the hearts of some Ministers and members.

The original clause provided for tho exemption "of clergymen, but did not caver Alarist Brothers. Sir Joseph Ward moved to add a section giving a general exemption to teachers, including Alarist brothers, and his luuendjient was carried by 36 votes to 32 on 6 division that followed party lines very closely. The Bill as it reached the Legislative Council provided exemption for clergymen and teachers. The Council struck but the whole clause by 11 votes to i, so that tao Bill in its present form makes no exemptions at all. The Beit' move ia with the House, which is expected to decide to-day to disagree with the amendment. Then mauagers will, be appointed and a conference held with the object of bringing about a settlement. it appeal's certain that the Council will not consent to reinstate the clause in the form aproved last week by the House. The Councillors might consent to restore the exemption, for clergymen, but a majority of them oppose firmly the exemption of teachers. Several-Coun-cillors stated in debate that they would consider a straightforward proposal for the exemption of Marist Brothers, but would not accept a clause covering: the whole teaching profession. The attitude of the House is uncertain. Some members who had already left for their homes have been asked to return in anticipation of another division on the exemption question. It is stated in the lobby that the majority of members would not consent to the exemption of Mamt Brothers as i class apart from ordinary teachers. The majority appears to desiro the exemption of clergymen. . The dispute hinges upon the ilariat Brothers, and feeling on the subject undoubtedly is running high in somo quarters. Sir Joseph Ward may be expected to press for the retention of the exemption already, approved by the House, lie was supported last week by four Ministers, the Hon. J. -A. Hanan, the Hon. W. D. S. Mao Donald, the Hon. A. M. Myers, and the Hon. G. W. Eussell, and opposed by the Prime Minister and four other- Ministers, Sir James Allen, tne Hon. W. Fraser, the Hon. A. L.. Herdman, and the Hon. W.,H. Hemes. Mr. W. Nosworthv, the merabor for Ashburton, is one of the strongest opponents of the exemption of Marsst Brothers. He told a Dominion reporter yesterday that he would rather resign 'his seat than consent to the exemption. He was convinced that some other members of the House vrojtlA take up the same attitude, and would be prepared to stay in Wellington until Christmas, it necessary, to fight the exemption pro- . The Statute Law Amendment Bill, passed by the House on Saturday night, will reach the Legislative Council when it meets at 11 o'clock this morning. This Bill, which did not make its appearance until Saturday, contains some important clauses. Several additional clauses were added Shortly before the House rose, and one of these, containing provision for the suspension or modification of industrial awards and labour legislation in order'to allow of the employment and training of disabled discharged soldiers, may cause some delay in the Council. It. looked at one time as if the clause would be held up by the Labour members of tho House, and the Hon. A. L. Herdman, in charge of the Discharged Soldiers'. Department, actually proposed its withdrawal. But Mr. Massey promised to safeguard the interests of the Labour organisations, and the ciauso went' through. '