IMPORTANT MEASURES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 40, 15 January 1935, Page 6

IMPORTANT MEASURES.

PREPARATION ON HAND. MEETING OF CABINET. WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. A Cabinet meeting wifi be held this afternoon to discuss questions of supreme importance to tlie primary’ industries ot the Dominion. These matters include legislative proposals dealing with mortgage finance, which are well advanced. One of two essential Bills has been drafted, and only requires revision; the other is under preparation by the Minister of Finance (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), who returned from North Auckland yesterday morning. Most of tlie day was spent in conferring with hie Ministerial colleagues, while the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and he had a long conference in the afternoon.

“I cannot say’ when the Bills dealing with mortgage finance will be ready for Cabinet approval and presentation to Parliament,” Mr Coates said last evening. “A great deal lias yet to be done in tlie way of revisory preparation, and I have asked the Prime Minister to consider the possibility of waiting until the third week in February before calling on Parliament to resume the session which was adjourned last November. The Government as a whole would like to reopen the session on the date originally mentioned, February 13. but 1 may require an extra week to finalise the legislative measures under my charge as Minister of Finance. “There will be two Bills—one making provision for the establishment of a National Mortgage Corporation, and the other dealing with the rehabilitation of farmers’ finances. The first Bill has been drafted, and is a fairly bulky measure of about thirty pages. It does not follow, of course, that it will retain its present form. Constructive criticism is welcomed, and no effort has been or will be spared to obtain the views of representatives of all the interests concerned. It was for that purpose that a series of explanatory articles on the problem was issued, and the demand for copies has been such as to demonstrate the keen and widespread interest that has been taken in the subject. M'e aim at securing the best possible solution of a financiM problem which affects so many people and activities in the Dominion. “It is too early as yet to indicate the legislative proposals in detail, for the simple reason that if revision of the first, drafts of the projected measures be considered necessary there will be no hesitation about redrafting the Bills. That is why I have suggested to the Prime Minister that the reopening of the Parliamentary’ session tentatively should be delayed for a week at the most, if necessary, I "to avoid delay’ if it be practicable at all. The whole question is receiving a thorough investigation in the hope of providing a measure of relief for financially’ embarrassed farmers.”

STATEMENT BY PREMIER,

WELL-DEFINED PROGRAMME. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. 14. There seems to bo a general impress ion abroad that when Parliament resumes next month an opportunity will be given for consideration of all classes of legislation, but tha-t is an erroneous impression,” stated the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. G. W. I orbes) to-day. The Government intended to concentrate on the legislation setting up the National Mortgage Corporation and apart from that very little else would be done, as it was not desired to bring members to Wellington for a longer period than was absolutely necessary. Outstanding legislation would have to wait until the main session later on in the year. Mr Forties stated that it was not yet possible to say when Parliament would meet for the main session. The Government had not considered the question of sending representatives to the Kings Jubilee celebrations in May. ?i 1 J! eply ,*° a question, Mr Forbes sard there did not appear te he any likelihood of an appeal being made to the .country earlier than the end of the year, when the life of the present Parliament would expire.