WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 251, 23 October 1917, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE IMPENDING END.

HINGING DOWN THE CURTAIN,

(Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Get. 22

Mr Mossey is confident of bringing tho session to a close by the end of this week, Sv, at least, by Monday or Tuesday of next week.. Just how he i« gomg to accomplish this, only those who have witnessed many similar performances can conjecture. Though tho session has now run into nearly four months and has been peculiarly free from time-wasting demonstrations, there is still enough business in sight, to keep Parliament sitting till Christmas. The Liquor Bill is hung np by a disagreement between the two Houses, the Social Hygiene Bill is bin ied under an avalanche of protest and objection, yet another War Regulation Bill is *on the stocks, the Supplementary Estimates have to be passed, the report of the Cost of Living Committee has to be further considered, and that of tine Meat Trust Committee has to be presented. But in. spite of a]i these and°of many other matters demanding the serious and deliberate attention of Parliament, if Mr Massey and his colleagues make up their minds to ring down the curtain within the next few days nothing can prevent them having their way. ■THE'LIQUOR BILL. The disagreement between the two Houses over the Sale of Liquor Restriction Bill h causing the friends of t-ho measure some little" anxiety, The point in dispute .concerns the supply of liquor wich meals, the Council holding thai! only boarders should enjoy this privilege, and the House contending that it should be extended to all customers. If the House is firm, as \t probably will be, it will get its way, as the only alternative to an agreement is the abandonment of the Bill, which would mean the retention of the old hours and tho loss of such advantages as the nia-jority in the Council expects from six o'clock closinlg. The manor that several members of the House are- repenting of tho hasty support they gave to Mr Miassoy's unexpected amendment persists, but, on the other hand, one or two members who opposed the amendment are now urging that the earlier hour of closing should be enforced just as strictly as was tho later hour. Otherwise, they say, the consumption of a biscuit would entitle every thirsty soul to a drink. COST OF LIVING. • Tho general expectation is that the drastic 'proposals of tho Cost, of Living Committee will provide tho Government with an excuse for doing nothing this sewsion towards the restriction of retail prices. Had the Committee. contented itself with recommending tho appointment of a Food Controller with authority to fix the prices of certain specified commodities perhaps tho Prime Minister would havo overcome his antipathy to State interference- with trade, and possibly the Minister for Finance, freed of tho fear of demands being made upon tho Treasury, would liave becomo reconciled to the less hazardous experiment. But it is obvious that neither Mr Mass-ey nor Sir Joseph Ward would be very favorably disposed towards any scheme that threatened to undermine their Ministerial prerogatives. They shave both refused to give the Board of Trade more than advisory powers, and that body is at least as well qualified as any Foocl Controller coming non- to the' work could be to regulate prices. MOW ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES. One effect oi" Ihe heart-to-heart talks between the -party leaders and their supporters, has been to put the idea o? an early general election out of i-.ii-.>! minds of Ministers. When tho rank-anu-nle of the House were showing a disposition early in the month to kiclc over the. traces Mr Massey told thorn all his preparations were in train for appealing to the constituencies at once; but in reply to a. question put to him on Friday by Mr Hudson ho said any legislation nquiivd in eon.ieetion with the new boundaries could be very well left over till next session.. Jn tho ordinary course the election would iiavo taken plaw> this year, but now it swms probable from tho attitude of Ministers avid from what one hears in tho lobbies that if tho war should bo still dragging on when Parliament meets next June a proposal for a fvtill further postponement will bo made. Not even the Labor members would be anxious to c;o to the polls while the war was diverting all attention from domestic affairs.

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