IN THE HOUSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 263, 5 October 1936, Page 6

IN THE HOUSE

SPEEDING UP LIKELY.

MUCH BUSINESS REMAINS. WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. A speeding-up of the work of Parliament is likeiy to bake place from now on with the object of having the session finished by the end of this month. The Prime Minister (Kt. Hon. M J. Savage) stated after a meeting of Cabinet bn Saturday that there was still a considerable amount of legislation to be passed before the House cou d adjourn finally, and the work would accordingly be accelerated to some ex--46 Mr Savage reiterated his previous statement tliat if the Industrial Efficiency Bill now before the House was not wanted by those whose interests it was designed to serve it would not be proceeded with. As it stands at present there have been six speakers on the second reading stage, including the Minister of Industries and Commerce, and, taken all round, there has been tairiy strenuous criticism from the Opposition members who have spoken. The debate on the Bill will be continued when- the House resumes toThe departure for London at the end of the week of the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) will necessitate the introduction this week of a lunance Bill, and it is almost certain that the Supplementary Estimates will also make their appearance, as it is desired to have all the urgent financial businesa of the House dealt with before Mr Nash leaves the country. A clause in the Finance Bill will validate the recent appointment of Mr Mark Silverstone, chairman of the finance committee of the Dunedin City Council, as a director of the Reserve Bank. After Mr Silverstone was appointed to the directorate of the bank it was found that as lie was not of British birth, although a naturalised British subject, he was not eligible for appointment, and the legislation is being introduced to surmount that difficulty. MARKETING OF PRODUCE.

Mr Nash has been having an exceptionally busy time clearing up Ins administrative work before leaving for London. In addition to piloting the taxation Bills through the House of Representatives last week and attending the. Empire air mail conference, he was engaged in dealing with the preliminary arrangements for fixing the guaranteed price for dairy products next season. In this connection a committee of experts has been set up to investigate the whole matter along the lines of procedure defined in tne Primary Products Marketing Act. The Minister held a long conference with the committee in order to explain fully the Government's view of points ot detail which must be taken into consideration in the determination of next season’s price. Although the Marketing Act was passed only a few months ago, it can be said that Mr Nash will be able to leave for England knowing that the complex machinery of a notable experiment is in first-ciass working order. The Main Highways Amendment Bill, which was introduced last week and is designed to briiig about the classification of part of the main highways system as State highways, is to be passed this session. Other legislation which has yet to be dealt with includes a Reserve and Other Lands Disposal Bill, a Native Purposes Bill, and probably a “Washing Up” Bill. There is some doubt whether the Local Body Reform Bill, the object of which is the improvement of the local government system of New Zealand, will be proceeded with this session.