OPPOSITION’S STRONG POSITION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22356, 14 June 1947, Page 4

OPPOSITION’S STRONG POSITION

taining a majority on each committee, of which there arc 20. The Opposition is expected to press for equality of representation except on the Maori Affairs Committee, instead of the former proportion of six Government to four Opposition members. The Government is sure to object. Parliament is being called to meet on Tuesday, June 24, by a commission of members of the Legislative Council, who will direct the Lower House to forthwith appoint its Speaker in order to meet the Governor-General on the following day and hear the Speech from the Throne. Before the week ends the House will have to pass the Imprest Supply Bill authorising current appropriations, and this will give the first opportunity for debate on general lines. The Opposition is likely to limit its criticisms to a few specific points, for a much wider debating chance comes immediately afterwards in the Address-in-Reply discussion. Xo-Confidcncc Debate A no-confidence motion to the Ad-dress-in-Reply motion may be taken for granted as it will enable the improved strength of the Opposition to be shown on the official records. This debate may be acrimonious; it will certainly be lengthy because members will not be able to resist the opportunity of using the speech notes of the recent election campaign, now to be heard on a wider scale. Members on both sides believe that, the debates will be livelier than in last Parliament, and they particularly have in mind the appearance on the front benches of Mr A. McLagan, who has a very sharp edge to his tongue when provoked. Overshadowing the legislative programme is the Budget regarding which there are no hints of reduced taxation, although the surplus last year was substantial. The Minister of Finance, Mr. W. Nash, is promptly tackling this important task, and hopes that the Budget can be presented by the end of July. The high and growing cost of commodities which have been subsidised to maintain a stabilised retail price has created a difficult position. Already some subsidies have been withdrawn, the first move being when the sales tax was reduced and a corresponding reduction made in subsidised items which had been relieved.

Soaring prices of tea at the Colombo auctions must cost more in subsidy expenditure, and the Government recently sent its adviser on the tea trade to spend three months in India and Ceylon to report on the position. Licensing- Bill The early introduction of a Licensing Bill to comply with the decisions of the electors of the Wairarapa district will give the House an opportunity of debating trust versus private control. The Prime Minister has promised that the Government will submit to this Parliament the general licensing legislation, including a referendum if the electors so desire, and it is expected that discussion on the Wairarapa measure will provide some indications of the general opinion of members on this non-party question. As the Gaming Commission cannot report until August, its recommendations are not likely to be dealt with this session.

An urgent measure for early consideration is required to make provision for the new Dairy Cpmmission, _ the members of which cannot be appointed until there is statutory authority. No serious opposition is expected for this Bill, and another which is sure of an easy passage is that validating the recent reduction of fid in the £ on the wages tax. , Nationalisation of coal mines has proceeded so fast that the main concern of the House will be to hear the cost. However, the Government will need to set up a special authority to manage this big business, as it has grown far beyond the capacity of the Mines Department, concerned primarily with the enforcement of safety regulations in mines. Will the Government tackle the problem of enforced occupation of empty dwellings? It is being seriously considered, and much will depend on the report of experience in Tasmania and Victoria in equitably .enforcing this drastic plan. The lack of unanimity on both sides regarding the international monetary fund has delayed New Zealand’s decision on the Bretton Woods agreement, but this session should see the matter settled, and the Dominion become a member of the fund.

COMING SESSION

LI VELIER_ TIMES? CHANGED CONDITIONS EARLY BUDGET PLANNED Though (he Government by careful organisation can maintain an effective working majority oil its margin of four votes, the coming session is likely to give the Prime Minister, Mr. V. Fraser, many anxieties, and there may even be some dramatic moments. Already the handicap of the small majority has been demonstrated by the illness of the senior Government Whip, Mr. A. S. Richards, making it impossible to attend the sitting for the first few weeks. The jun io r Government Whip, Mr. R. M. Macfarlane, has not served in this capacity and it is probable that Mr. Richard’s former colleague, Mr. D. W. Coleman, now Under - Secretary to the Minister of Works, will temporarily assist Mr. Macfarlane in the exacting task of maintaining full voting strength for the Government forces. Conditions are very different from the first session of the Labour Government, when it had the impressive working majority of at least 25, and faced a small handful of opponents only 19 in number. Then there was no difficulty in piling up the new legislation at a fast pace, but today there is necessity for cautious handling of legislative innovations,

though there is a strong influence within the Labour Party to maintain the pace. Two recent additions to the Cabinet, Miss Howard and Mr. F. Hackett, are regarded as exponents of the aggressive policy. Representation on Committees The National Opposition, grown from the small handful to 38, will press strongly for recognition of the fact that it ea.uals the Government in numbers of European representatives. The battle will begin early in the session when it is necesary to set up Select Committees by vote of the House. They are nominated by the Government, with the personnel in line with the relative numerical proportions of the parties, the Government, of course, always main-