PLENTY OF WORK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIII, Issue XVIII, 29 July 1912, Page 5

PLENTY OF WORK.

"What work have we ready?" The Prime Minister smilingly displayed a complete copy of the Estimates printed, "lou see, weave ready with plenty ijf work," continued the Premier, "and there are other Bills, too; an amendment of the Arbitration Act is to be introduced, but is not printed." . "And a Land Bill?" suggested the interviewer. | 'Yes," answered Mr Massey. "Will it involve the more important aspects of the land question?," continued the pressman. "There will be a Land Bill, and it will not involve all the big principles— not all of them." replied Mr Massey* with rather significant emphasis on the» last phrase, indicating that the measure will not merely one of technical working amendments. "As to local government, we -will "be able to show what are the Government's intentions in this matter, but personally I don't think we will be able to deal with such a large question this session. Still, I would not like to say finally that we will not bring a Bill in this session. At any rate, we have enough, to go on with already. Our time has been very limited, and if I had known the amount of work waiting for us I certainly would have asked for an adjournment of a little more than three weeks; but we have been doing our best, and we are quite ready to meefcParharaent on Wednesday. We expect to present the Financial Statement the ro'lowing week." The pressman suggested that electoral reform was bound to come this session " "It must come," admitted the Prime Minister, "but I don't think the electoral question will be dealt with, this session. It is too big." •x o s '^ ha£ will tlle Government do about it.' — 'Well, you can say that I stand by evervthmg I have said in regard to proportional representation, as will he realised later on." Reciprocity with Australia in regaid to the tariff and old age pensions was brought under Mr Massey' s notice, but he declined to even hint at the Government's attitude, because these mat-t-erg have not been formally discussed by Cabinet. However, the* Australian, statesmen who made the first move in, these important directions will realise that they have a sympathetic Prime Minister m New Zealand to deal with, tor Mr Massey remarked, "Some of my noiitical opponents have accused me of being too friendly towards Australia."^