PARLIAMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 September 1924, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

LICENSING LAW

LEGISLATION UNLIKELY

(By Telegraph.—-Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. A statement of the work required from Parliament before the session ends will be made by the Premier to-night. It will show that the House has still to face the most important part of the legislative programme. Some of the measures have been introduced, but have still to be put through their critical stages. For instance the annuall Taxing Bill and the amendment to the Land and. Income Tax Act are under consideration by the Public Accounts Committee with a view to amendment. The Motor Vehicles Bill is also before a select committee of the House, which will take at least another fortnight before it can refer this Bill to the House; while another highways measure, almost equal in importance, dealing with an improved financial system for the National Highways Board and other amendments required in the new system, has yet to be introduced. The Fruit .Control Bill has been receiving attention from the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee, which, having completed taking evidence, proposes to deliberate next Friday. A. Select Committee on the licensing law has also been busy and should report at an early date, though members do not consider there is a prospect of passing legislation this session.

Nearly every Minister has Bills in preparation, the subjects including defence, education, superannuation, pensions, public debt reduction, and electoral. The Minister of Railways is expected to present early in the week his proposed programme of railway improvements, which ranks in importance higher than this year’s Public Works Statement. . Parliament has passed the main estimates, which is a substantial achievement, but it can scarcely hope to complete the session before the first week in November, unless the Government decides at the last moment to allow a poi-tion of its programme to be postponed until the following year.