POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17267, 17 September 1919, Page 10

P OLITICAL NOTES.

WORK OF THE session. •. MR. massey's INTENTIONS, FIVE-DAY week SHORTLY. [BY TELEGBAPH.—SPECIAL BEFOBTEB.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The work of Parliament and the possible duration of the session were again referred to in the House of Representatives to-day, when ; Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikei) asked the Prime Minister for v a statement on the subject. Mr. Newman said that assuming the elections would be held not later than the second week in December, this al-. lowed another five weeks for Parliament to sit in order to give a month for the election campaign. Much business remained to be done, and there was much legislation still to come down. He asked for a statement on the subject. Mr. Massey did not give any indication of the actual duration of the session. He said he proposed to ask the House to sit on Mondays presently. Up to the present this had not been possible owing to the pressure of Ministerial duties. For that reason he could not ask the House to work a six-day week, but he did propose to ask members to sit on five days in order to cope with the work yet to be done. REPATRIATION PROBLEM. " This hunting of the thimble under the pea is most annoying," said Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East), when informed twice in quick succession that he was speaking outside the scope of the repatriation report presented to the House of Representatives this afternoon. Dr. Newman "complained that between the chairman of the Repatriation Board, the Minister for Defence, and the Minister for Lands, it was difficult to discover who was responsible for the many matters affecting discharged soldiers. NATIONAL CABINET'S BEQUEST. " How long*ago was that was the question asked the Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi), when he was complaining of sins of omission and commission in connection with repatriation, and was quoting a specific case. • ' '' About three months ago," he answered. "Oh, that was when the National Cabinet was in," came the reply from the Ministerial benches. ** Yes, but I noticed thut the three Ministers I have approached in connee* tn»n with the case all belonged to the National Government," was Mr. Buddo's final shot. VOTES FOR SOLDIERS. When the question of'the length of the* session was under discussion, Sir Joseph Ward asked the Prime Minister whether ! any arrangement would be made for fsol- ! diers not yet repatriated to vote at the I coming elections. ] Mr. Massey replied that the matter had I already, been considered, and legislation was "being prepared in case it was required. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, the Prime Minister said the last paragraph of the Financial Statement was sent to the" Printer to-day, so that it was not far from being ready.. \ The postal delays springing from the reduced railway time-table would retard tie distribution of copies or simultaneous ■tub'fication and delay the bringing down of the Statement for a day or two. * Sir Joseph' Ward suggested that the} Statement might be telegraphed, as it Used to be previously. > Mr. Massey replied that he would suggest that' course to his, colleague. "THE RHINE OF NEW .ZEALAND." "The South Island has many beautiful mountains, and the North Island beautiful' islets and parks, but New Zealand has only one. Rhine," said. Mr- W. A. Veitch {Wanganui) to-day, in pressing the claims of the Wanganui River for consideration from the Tourist Department.