POLITICAL PROSPECT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 12

POLITICAL PROSPECT.

AN EXTRA SESSION. THE POSSIBILITY WANING. PREPARJNG FOR ELECTION. REVIEW OF THE SITUATION. [cv TEr.EGItAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Friday. As this year's session recedes, the possibility of Parliament being called together before next .luno becomes perceptibly fainter. The suggestion was made in the closing hours of last session that a special session should bo held not only to deal with tho economic situation, but also to tackle tho problem of railway construction. In tho first instance, tho suggestion camo from the Opposition benches, and on the night tho llouso of Representatives rose the acling-Primo Minister, Hon. 15. A. Ransom, admitted that it might be necessary to call Parliament together earlier than usual.

The Leader of the Opposition, Rt. Hon. .J. G. Coates, and tho Leader of tho Labour Party, Mr. 11. E. Holland, expressed their willingness to co-operate with tho Government if it were found essential to hold a special session. In tho meantime tho matter rested there. It is certain, however, that the Government will not take this serious step if it can bo avoided, if only for tho ieason that a special session might hasten a general election. If tho present Parliament runs its full course a general election will not take placo until the end of next year, and, in spite of professions to tho contrary, it may bo taken for granted that neither the Government nor the Labour Party is anxious to go to the country before it becomes necessary. Slender Prospect Remaining.

The opinion in Parliamentary circles is that, in spito of the fact that two important issues were left practically untouched when tlio House rose, the Government would prefer to leave them until next Juno, when Parliament will meet in the ordinal course of events. Nothing will bo decided until the Prime Minister returns from the Imperial Confeicnce. In the meantimo there remains the slender prospect of an early session, although, as time passes, it becomes more uncertain. What the next session will produce is on tlio lap of the political gods, but it is certain that a gospel of preparedness is being preached among the supporters of the various parties. In any case the last session of the present Parliament will not be a long one, for members will not care to spend too much timer in Wellington once their opponents have taken to the hustings. On the other hand, it is possible that next year's gathering of Parliament will be cut short by a dissolution. Having supported the Government consistently since 1928, the Parliamentary Labour" Party was responsible for the session closing on a inost hostile note, by reason of its heated attack _ upon the United Party over the dropping of the Arbitration Amendment Bill. Just how Labour members will reconcile their past attitude with their latest assertion, that the Government should have boen voted out of office long ago, and their professions of sorrow at having supported the Government for so long, remains to be seen, but it is clear that their attitude during the last days of the session will not pave the way for a peaceful session next year. Reiorm Organisation. The Labour Party has begun to make preparations for the general election. Mr. Holland recently undertook an extensive tour of the Dominion, and invitations have already been issued for the selection of candidates. The Reform Party also has been busy. Mr. Coates stated to-day that the party's organisation throughout the country was active and progressing. Although the United Party's preparations are not discernibly far advanced, it is understood that it also has not lost time since the session closed. Activities may be expected to become more apparent in the next few months, for although no party is making obvious plans, they are all keenly alive to the uncertainty of the present situation. The object underlying the suggestion of an early session made by Reform Party members was chiefly to stop expenditure of further money on (he construction of seven railway lines which are expected to show nil annual loss of £737.000 when completed. The Select Committee which commenced nn investigation into these lines during the session reported that it was unable to reach any conclusions, although the three Reform members expressed the opinion that the work should cease at once on at least three of the lines. The outcomo is that the work is going ahead and, unless Parliament puts a stop to it, a largo sum will have been spent by next June.

There was also the suggestion that the economic situation called for national treatment, but nothing was dono by Parliament to this end. A special session oould bo called to deal with either or both of theso questions, but Mr. Ransom expressed the hope that thp latter would bo more or less satisfactorily solved as the outcome of the Imperial Conference.