MONDAY'S SITTING.

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1913, Page 5

MONDAY'S SITTING.

OPPOSITION AND DRIVING

(From Our Special Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. Sixty days before the probable end of the session the Prime Minister yes • terday afternoon moved that for the remainder of the session the House meet at 7.30 p.m. on Mondays for the transaction of Government business His sole desire, he said, was to expedite the business of the country. There was a great deal of work to be done, and the first Monday wduld be devoted to local Bills, which deserved serious consideration. Members who have had to put up with heavy committee work and long Hours this sesion felt that they had a strong grievance over the motion, as Monday sittings are only held as a rule a couple of weeks before the session's end. Sir Joseph Ward entered an emphatic protest against members being deprived of Mondays. If the pace was kept up at that rate some of the members would find themselves physically incapacitated. There were several important Bills to be brought downNative Land, Licensing, and so on, which had yet to put in an appearance. There was also the question of electoral reform which might provide for proportional representation in the cities. That proposal would not get through if they sat for three months. In view of the possibility of such important measures coming forward, it was unfair to deprive members of the Monday vacation. Sir Joseph added, that on the subject of electoral reform, they might easily spend six months, and the Prime Minister could not stop them. The Hon. W. Herries (Minister for Native Affairs): We are quite ready. In answer to a question the Minister added that the Native Land Bill would be brought down early next week. The motion was adopted with a majority of 10 votes.