WORK OF THE SESSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19762, 8 October 1927, Page 13

WORK OF THE SESSION.

BUSINESS TO BE DONE. GOVERNMENT MEASURES. LENGTHY LIST REMAINING. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPOBTEE-] WELLINGTON. Friday That there is still a considerable amount of business to be done by the ' House of Representatives before the ses- ' sion ends was indicated by the Prime Minister in the House to day. After having moved that the House meet on Mon- 1 day nights for the remainder of the session for the transaction of Government 1 business, Mr. Coates proceeded to give ' a resume of the work ahead of Parliament. He said the session had now been in progress for 15 weeks, and 24 Govern-, ment measures had fc-?en passed. " That is a fairly good record," interjected Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurcb South). 1 " Yes," replied the Prime Minister. There were 15 Government bills on the Order Paper, he continued, and nine ethers were being considered by committees, making 48 in all. Bills in the hands of the Government printer, and not yet introdc-jd, totalled 11. In addition, an indication had been given to Parliament and to the country that opportunity would be afforded for discussing a Licensing Bill, the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill, the Gaming Amendment Bill, and the report on the Imperial Conference. " Have you mentioned those items in their order of importance asked the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland. The Prime Minister: Not necessarily—not by any means. Measures to be Introduced. Continuing, Mr. Coates said that measures that might be looked for were the Municipal Corporations Amendment, Hutt Valley x Settlement Amendment, Coal Mines Amendment, Post and Telegraph Amendment, Electric Power Boards Amendment, Waimakariri River Trust Amendment, Valuation of Land Amendment, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment, and an Act to deal with petroleum areas. Mr. Holland: When may we expect the arbitration amendment? The Prime Minister: Pretty shortly. "It is rather important," suggested Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central). The Prime Minister agreed. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) asked if there would be a Loan Bill. The Prime Minister said probably there would be only one, which would be sufficiently comprehensive to meet New Zealand's requirements for the next year. Working on Labour Day. "Do you intend to work on Labour Day V* asked Mr. Howard. " Oh, I think so," replied the Prime Minister. "We do not recognise holidays here." He intimated that next Monday night it was intended to continue with the Customs Amendment Bill, which would be kept at the head of the Order Paper until it was passed. It might be that during the debate the Minister of Customs might desire a postponement of* further discussion on the bill for a day, in which case the House would be asked to take other business. The probability of the House sitting on Labour Day was still worrying Mr. Howard, for he interjected at this stage that he would have to vote against Monday sittings if the holiday was not observed. He received no encouragement, however, the Prime Minister remarking merely that he believed the House had always sat on Labour Day. " When do you expect the session to close ?" was the final question put to Mr. Coates. " When the Government business is on the Statute Book," he retorted.