PROGRESS IN HOUSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 230, 27 August 1938, Page 8

PROGRESS IN HOUSE

EARLY CLOSE EXPECTED. ESTIMATES UNDER DISCUSSION. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. The House of Representatives is getting through the essential business of the session with celerity, and the expectations of an early conclusion and an election test long before the Christmas period are becoming positive.

Friday’s all-day sitting was completed an hour before its usual time, with an additional £9,335,000 of departmental Estimates approved, this making a total to date of nearly £23,000,000. The discussions —shorn of their general interest by the prohibition of subjects which could be ruled out by the Chairman of Committees as policy matters—were of a mild order, a vigilant Opposition being concerned mainly in asking questions regarding items of expenditure without, venturing into criticism of the sum total, which would have, verged on policy talk.

Among the votes passed were those ot the Pensions Department, £6,911,200; Justice and Prisons Department, £339,000; and Internal Affairs Department, £481,456. It is intended to resume the sittings on Tuesday with consideration of local Bijls, of which there are seven on the order paper. The evening will be devoted to the passing at one sitting of the monthly Imprest Supply Bill. The final stage of the second rending debate on the Social Security Bill is expected to be completed on Wednesday.