WORK OF PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 118, 19 April 1932, Page 6

WORK OF PARLIAMENT.

EMERGENCY LEGISLATION

PROBABLE LENGTH OF SESSION,

Should the emergency Bill to strengthen the hands of the authorities in ihe event of further trouble similar to that at Auckland go through the House of Representatives within a reasonable space of time, the Prime Minister will immediately seek urgency on Part 1 of the National Expenditure Bill, which provides for wages and salary reductions throughout the Public Service (says the Dominion). It is desired to dispose of this section in order that the Treasury may be in a position to arrange for reduced payouts. Mr Forbes admits that practically tbe whole of this week will be occupied with the committee stages of the Bill. Provided that amendments put forward by individual members are considered reasonable, the Government will bo prepared to consider their adoption, but the Prime Minister is insistent that the measure must go through substantially in its present form and that sweeping changes cannot be allowed in tho circumstances.

Representations are being made to the Government with a view to securing the removal of anomalies from the section of the Bill dealing with interest and rent reductions, and the Prime Minister said last evening that he would be bringing down several amendments to this part in committee. He mentioned that it was particularly difficult to give effect to Cabinet’s intentions without creating hardship on account of the intricate nature of the private contracts that would be affected by the new law, but he believed that tbe amendments the Government would have inserted would make for the more equitable distribution of the sacrifices to be demanded from all sections of the community.

"The passing of the Expenditure Bill will just about break the back of the session’s work,” Mr Forbes said, adding that it should be possible, on present indications, for the House to riso early next month. Discussing the possibility of the Government deciding to let the session run on for a time and to refrain from calling the ordinary session until after tire Ottawa Conference, Mr Forbes said it was still an open question whether this course would be adopted. It is stated in the lobbies, however, that the chances of Parliament meeting in June are remote, and that, with tho Ottawa Conference to occupy its attention, the Government will find it impracticable to call a session until after the gathering. Incidentally, no' definite move has been made by' Cabinet in the selection of the New Zealand delegation for Ottawa.