COMING SESSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18435, 15 June 1920, Page 7

COMING SESSION.

MEETING OF CABINET. • [Pbb Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 14The first full Cabinot meeting held for some considerable time is taking place to-day. Ono of the matters to be considered Will be the death sentence of the PonBonby murderer, .Dennis Gunh. A petition has been presented for the reprieve of Gunq. Nothing has yet been dono by the Prime Minister about the appointment of another Minister. In the course of a few days Sir William Fraser will be retiring from the Ministry, and this will leave a portfolio to be nllocated. No satisfactory placing of the Defence portfolio has yet been fixed. Although Mr Coate3 is acting-Minister of Defence, he has let it be known that ho does not consider that he can do justice to the big portfolio, of- Public .Works and Defence as well. The appointment of a new Minister may not be made at onco, but it is generally understood that it will have to be made before the session is far advanced.

The presidency of the Board of Trade js to be taken ovor by the Hon E. P. Lee this week, probably to-day. The Prime Minister may possibly be concerned with the proposals already announced for the reconstruction of the board, v but he will no longer be its president.

The coming session is generally expected to last from five to six months. Nearly erery Department is in need of an amending Bill. There is practically certain to he an Education whion is always a difficult measure to pilot through in reasonable time. A Railway Amendment Bill is also expected. There will be an important Land Bill to settle many matters which created difficulties in administration. Most difficult of all will be a,Finance Bill- It is generally understood that Mr Massey will endeavour to remove some of the inequalities in taxation, though he is not likely to bo able to drop any revenue. The relief given in some directions may have to bo compensated in others. fFBOM OUR CORnXSPONDKNT.] WELLINGTON, June 14.

There are to be five, or six appoints ments of members of tho Legislative Council- before the session, and tho Government, in addition to the usual embarrassment due to a plethora of candidates, has to consider certain promises made by the National Cabinet.

The Prime Minister, in reply to a question whether the Committee of Imperial Defence was likely to meet shortly in accordance with the hope expressed by the British Minister, said that ho did not anticipate any meeting this year.