BUSINESS OF SESSION

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 4

BUSINESS OF SESSION

Necessary To Sit Late

The view that it would be impossible to complete the business of the House of Representatives in two weeks and that sittings would probably have to continue into the last week before the dissolution on August 28, was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, when the House resume,d at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, had asked him to indicate the prospects of concluding the session. ->. The House should begin to sit reasonably late hours in order to dispose of the business, said the Prime Minister. He felt they should sit at least till midnight each night. In reply to an interjection by Mr. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga), who asked whether urgency would be taken for the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Bill, Mr. Fraser said he would not dream of denying members an opportunity to speak on such an important, measure. Members could not hope to discuss business nt length and still have four weeks for the election. Mr. Lee (Democratic, Grey Lynn) : Why not drop some of the Bills or put back the election another week? The Prime Minister: No one can say the sittings have been strenuous. It is reasonable to expect members to .work late hours in order to finish the business. Mr. Doidge: Why bring down the Land Sales Bill in tbe dying hours of the session? The. Speaker intervened to say. that question did not arise from the discussion. and the Prime Minister stated that Mr. Doidge could put that question when the Bill was under debate.