A WEEK’S PLANS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 222, 15 August 1930, Page 6

A WEEK’S PLANS.

ORGANISING PARLIAMENT'S AVORK. DEFENCE BILL TO-DAY-. (By Telegraph—Special to Standard). AVELLINGTON, Aug. 14. The House of Representatives made up for its slowness on the Customs Bill late this afternoon by rapidly clearing off the schedules.

Once the petrol tax controversy had been adjusted there were some thirdreading sjreeclies and the understanding was that the sitting would not end till the Bill bad passed. This stage was reached at 6 o’clock when the Prime Alinister moved the adjournment till Friday afternoon. This was greeted with a fairly general demand ror an earlier sitting, but some of the Committee chairmen mentioned that notices were out for Select Committee meetings, including that of the Unemployment Committee. Consequently, Mr Forbes adhered to his decision to meet at 2.30 p.m.

Answering questions of the Opposition leader, Mr Forbes stated that he would endeavour to introduce the Finance Bill on Friday as a preliminary to its complete consideration on Monday. The House would be asked to take the Defence Bill on Friday. Mr Coates: That will leave the period from Monday till Saturday to clean up the Bills. The Estimates do not matter.

Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the Labour Party, suggested that in order that the Prime Minister could get away some effort be made to systematise the work. He assumed Mr Forbes must leave on the Saturday. The Prime Minister: I am supposed to leave on the Monday. Mr Holland added that if the list of measures which must go through was given by the Government and definite days allocated to them -with a common agreement they could be disposed of on those days. This would not mean surrender of the right to move adversely on them. He felt sure there was a general desire to honour the promise given to the Prime Minister, but he must see that the only way to get through the work was to adopt a method. Mr Coates : Rationalisation ? Mr Holland: Yes, of the Reform Party. The Prime Minister stated that he would be pleased to bring the Bills forward so that they could be dealt with as suggested.