LENGTH OF THE SESSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13601, 21 November 1907, Page 5

LENGTH OF THE SESSION.

MAY FINISH ON SATURDAY.

♦RESENT STATE OF THE ORDER

PAPER.

taf TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Wednesday. fBB Premier's recent estimate of finishing the session to-night appeared from the fir to be rather optimistic. The general opinion now is that it will not close till nearly midnight on Saturday, if th« considering that two of the most important Bills of the session have yet to be put through both Houses. A surprisingly large number of members are absent from their Parliamentary duties, having already returned to their homes. The bell had to be frequently rung for a quorum this afternoon. The House is now in committee discussing at considerable length the provisions of the Native Land 'Settlement Bill. The Gaming and Lotteries Bill, which the Premier has decided to go on with, is next on the Order Paper. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill, as already stated, is to be dropped. The Labour members in both Houses would raise considerable objection to it.

The following list gives the state of the Order Paper at the time of writing. The Bills before which there is an asterisk have only been read a second time pro forma, so that the main debate, viz., that on the second reading, is still to come:—Native Land Settlement Bill, to be committed (Hon. J. Carroll); 'Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, to be committed <Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward): Government Railways Department Classification Bill, to fee committed (Right Hou. Sir J. G. Ward); Cbristchurch District Drainage Act Amendment Bill, to be committed (Hon. J. McGowan); Water Supply Act Amendment Bill, second reading) (Hon. R. McNab); Railways Authorisation Bill, second reading (Hon. J. McGowan): 'Shops and Offices Act Amendmeut Bill, to be committed (Hon. J. A. Millar); Fire Brigades Bill, to be further considered in committee (Hon. J. Carroll) ; Animals Protection Bill, to be further considered in committee (Hon. J. Carroll); Town Districts Bill, second reading (Hon. K. McNab); Mining Act Amendment Bill, second reading (Hon. J. McGowan) : Chattels Transfer Act Amendment Bill, to be further considered in committee (Hon. J. McGowan); Meikle Acquittal Bill, to be further considered in committee (Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward); Harbour Boards Bill, to be . committed (the Hon. J. A. Millar); Licensing Polls Bill, second reading (the Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward); Tramways Amendment Bill, to be committed (the Hon. J. McGowan); Coroners Bill, second read ing (the Hon. J. McGowan); Public and Bank Holidays Bill, to be committed (Mr. Laurenson); Law Practitioners Act Amendment Bill, to be committed (Mr. Laurenson) Town Districts Bill, to.be committed (Mr. Ell); Noxious Weeds Act Amendment Bill, to be further considered in committee (Mr. R. McKenzie); Land Agents Bill, to be further considered in committee (Mr. Witty); Lamps on Vehicles Bill, to be further considered in committee (Mr. Major); Accountants Bill, to be further considered in committee (Mr. A. L. D. Fraser); Barmaids Abolition Bill, second reading (Mr. Ell); Public Services Reform Bill, second reading (Mr. Barclay); Absolute Majority Bill, second reading (Mr. Buddo); Magistrates' Court Act, 1893, Amendment Bill, second reading (Mr. Wilford); Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, second reading (Mr. Ell); Local Bodies' Loans Act Amendment Bill, second reading (Mr. Lethbridge); Water Supply Amendment Bill, second reading (Mr. Witty) ; Abolition of Plural Voting Bill, second reading (Mr. Hogg) Flour Duty Abolition Bill, second reading (Mr. Hogg). There will, of course, be a great slaughter of the innocents before Saturday night. There is a very general consensus of opinion that both the Native Land Settlement Bui and the Gaming and Lotteries Bill should have been taken much earlier in the session. The Post to-night, referring to the former, says not one per cent, of the Maoris understand it. In the latter respect their ignorance is only on a par with that of a very large proportion of the members of both Houses, but there is the important distinction that the Maoris through their representatives, both in and out of Parliament, have pleaded for time to study an exceptionally complicated and far-reaching Bill, while a majority of the House of Representatives seems disposed to give the measure as short a shrift as an ordinary local Bill and to put it through practically at sight. The delay in introducing the Bill has been explained by the Premier as due to the exceeding difficulty of thesub ject, even after the Royal Commission had prepared the ground. Can he not see that precisely the same consideration supplies an equally valid argument fcr allowing the House time to understand what it is being asked to do?

If the present session of Parliament lasts till Saturday it will bo the longest on record. Up to the present the session of 1903 is the record one. It began on June 29 and ended on November 24. If the present session closes on Saturday it will bewe day longer than that of 1903.