LEGISLATIVE RUSH

Northern Advocate, 25 July 1923, Page 5

LEGISLATIVE RUSH

TWENTY-FIVE SESSION DAYS.

TOR DOMINION AFFAIRS.

PARLIAMENTARY POSEK.

(Special to "Northern Advocate.") > ' WELLINGTON, This Day. Parliament was galvanised into activity yesterday afternoon when the Prime Minister told members that there we re onljr 25- "working days left if he ■■were -to reach. London in time for the Imperial Conference. Mr Massey said he bad to choose between two vessels, oae that would get him to London the day before the Conference and another that would not reach England till the Confe>rencc had been sitting several days. His present intention, if the House gets through the business, is to leave By the Union boat for San Franeiflcoon August 28', travelling through America and across the Atlantic;

• Wtoti#' thn Prime Minister appealed to the Opposition to facilitate Government business there was a general chorus: << What about the Electoral Billt"

Mr T. M. Wilford (Opposition Leader) complrined that Mr Massey would get through the Government Bills, then ■introduce the Electoral Bill and say he was scrry that his steamer was leaving.

Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) eloquently pleaded for consideration for his Unemployment Bill, which is on the lines of the Queensland Government- Act, popularly known in Australia as. the ■'Loafers Paradise Bill."

. . Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) claimer), that. Parliament should go on sitting while Mr Massey was in London.

The Speaker intervened and asked, them to avoid making the debate a general discussion.

The Prime Minister was watching his critics closely, and when Mr Wilford reiterated his request for the Electoral Bill he warmly retorted that he considered the Soldier Settlement Bill more important than any other and would cheerfully fqx&go all others excepting Financial Bills, if it got through. IMPERIAL CONFERENCES. Mr Massey Expressed his opinion on a subject that has been engaging the {attention of statesmen at Home just now; that is, the question whether Imperial Conferences shoulcf" not he held periodically in the Dominions. Mr Massey was strongly of opinion that they should, and further that it would faciltate the business of the Legislature of New- Zealand if they were held a little earlier in the year..

ELECTORAL BILL. The chorus from the Opposition and Labour benches broke out again when Mr Massey mentioned the Electoral Bill. He did not satisfy curiosity as to whether it contained proportional representation, but said it had been drafted by electoral officers and ' was now on the drafting stocks. LIQUOR CONTROL. Liquor reform, corporate control, prohbition and the State issue were espoused by their various adherents when Mr Massey tabled his motion

for the oppointment of a Select Committee to deal with licensing lhatters. The Leader of the Opposition entered a laboured protest against the committee being appointed, saying that he, like most others, had already made up bis mind on the issue and it were far better to put the recommendation of last year's committee into some form of legislation, letting every member have his say. He saw nothing but wrangle from the con-

struetion of the proposed committee. Mr L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) deplored loss of the Hon. E. P. Lee from the committee. The Prohibitionists on the committee were now only four to eight, and he took very little consolation from the prospect of .sitting at the table watching the eight get all they wanted. kr H. E. Holland (Labour Leader) suggested that Messrs Isitt and W. D. Lysnar should form the committee, -'•fcnfr in : "more- serious frame of mind Suggested that the control issue bp deal with by the committee, leaving the bigger question of the liquor trafiie to be dealt with by the people as a whole. • The Hon. A. T. Ngata asked for a Maori member on the committee to gather up the threads of the Native mind on the liquor question, particularly in regard to the King Country.

Mr ' Massey cordially agreed to the appointment of a Native member. As to the general question, it would be always a non-party matter with him. In appointing the committee .lie had in mind petitions that had come in. He would put the constitution of the eommittee right, but. to be candid he could not promise discussion this session. . The House agreed without further demur to the committee as nominated, ed.

LIVING- COSTS AND WAGER

An important statement by way of answer to Sir J. P. Luke (Wellington North) was mnde by the Minister of Labonr (Hon. G. J. Anderson), who aaid that the Cabinet had decided not to extend the cost of living provision referred to as contained, in Section 9, which authorised the Arbitration ( ■Court to amend awards or industrial

agreements with respect to rates of

wages, making such increase or reduction in remunerations as it thought just and equitable, having regarding to a .-fair standard pi living. COAL IMPORTS. Striking testimony of how coal imports have declined and how New Zealand is .relying on Dominion and Australian cool -was, shown by the Minister of Labour, who said that whereas two years ago the proportion of imports was—Australia 76, United Kingdom 10, United States 8 and Japan 5— during the past six months the proportion of imports was nearly 100 per cent, from Australia. He deplored the present falling off of the West Coast mining output, which was due, he said, to influenza. EASIER FOR ALIENS. The sixtieth Bill of the present session has made its appearance.

Among half a dozen brought down last night provision is made for suspension of the Registration of Aliens Act. With- its passage will disappear the long expressed complaint of visitors against having to fill out voluminous details in regard to themselves and their intentions while they are here.

A lot was heard about the "middle of the road" from the Leader of the Opposition during the 110-confideiice debate. Curiously enough the expression is revived in a minor Bill dealing with public works brought down last night, although no reference is made to the position of the Opposition in the road. A HEAVY AGENDA.

Half the members are cougliing and sneezing and only with, difficulty can the speakers be heard. If they get through the business Mr Massey hns set down for tliem they Avill establish a record that will,/ a pleasing precedent, to quote the critics of Parliament. Besides the Bills already notified there are, of course, Mr Massey's important measures dealing with taxation, naval subsidy and dairy control, each of which is likely to produce a protracted debate.

Instances are multiplying of the attitude of the Opposition and Labour towards the Government, and it is quite likely that there will be frequent outbursts of party feeling. Even when simple questions are being answered by Ministers there is generally a tendency to make a debate of the matters.

The Speaker is evidently determined that the business of the House shall proceed with the minimum of interruption. A stern call from the Chair greets the interjector, and while the debates are losing tliat sparkle that comes' from rapid-fire interjection the work is going steadily on.

From to-day Government business will take precedence, and as there remain but 25 days before the Prime Minister leaves the Speaker may find his administrative authority really tested in the stress of party battles.

PROPORTIONAL AND PREFERENTIAL. It is rumoured in the lobbies that the Government contemplates a . reversion to the former method of grouping city , constituencies and -applying proportional representation to these elections. If the existing grouping is followed it will ftiean th^fc,.Auckland would be a huge constituency : comprising eight old •'electorates which have an aggregate voting strength of 143,000. Five Wellington city and suburban seats represent an electoral Strength of 90,500. Constituencies in and .around Christchurch return seveli members, representing 122,770 voters, while Duncdin has five closely grouped scats containing 86,000 voters. It is suggested that the Government plans to placc these 2;y' Fonts under proportional representation-. leaving the remaining 5.1 country 1 electorates as single member cdristituencies, with the important change that preferential voting will be adopted for the' eleeI tions.