THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 10

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

EMERGENCY SESSION. >JEXT TUESDAY'S OPENING. FORECAST OF BUSINESS. ECONOMY AND TAXATION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The first session of the 24th Parliament of New Zealand will be opened next Tuesday. The Cabinet has been sitting long hours preparing the programme and discussing the measures it intends to introauce. From the brief statements already made V>v the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance it is obvious that the legislation will be far-reaching in its effects and practically the whole of the measures that will be introduced by the Government will prove highly debateable. According to a statement made by the Prime Minister to-night the session should not last more than a month. However, this estimate appears to be extremely conservative. The general opinion in Parliamentary circles is that the session will extend into eight or ten weeks at least. The provision for the application of the closure will not exist when the House assembles, for this Standing Order, which was introduced during the emergency session last year, lapsed when Parliament was prorogued in October. It is probable that the Government will not be able to complete its business within a. reasonable time without having recourse to thii method of cutting short protracted debates. Preparation for the proposed legislation is being pushed ahead, but the most important bills are not yet ready. One of the first measures to introduced will be that ratifying the trade treaty with Canada. This should not occupy much time anf l l W then the Government should be ready to introduce legislation which has really made the calling * together of Parliament necessary. From the viewpoint of those who are being called upon to meet interest charges a further extension of the Mortgagors' Relief Act of last year's short session, and its amendment of the main session, will be highly /important. The main purpose of these measures was to prevent- harsh action being taken against mortgagors who could not meet their liabilities, but up to the present the mortgagor has been able to seek relief only after an initial move lias been taken by the mortgagee. The Government proposes to amend the present law to allow the mortgagor to make the first move in seeking relief. Unemployment Taxation. The taxation for unemployment relief purposes will almost certainly be increased, but Cabinet does not yet know exactly what legislation will be required to meet the position and it appears unlikely that the bill for this purpose will appear very early in the session. The Minister in Charge of Unemployment, Mr. Coates, has announced that he will outline his unemployment policy in the near future, but this will not be done until after the House meets. One of the most debateable measures will be the amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act,, to provide for compulsory conciliation and voluntary arbitration. This bill is assured of a stormy passage, but t(ie Government says it is convinced that something must be done to ease the present restrictions in various awards. One of the provisions of the measure will probably aim at the opening of trades to youths to a greater efxtent than is possible under existing award conditions. The Economy Commission. The special Economy Commission, which is af present sitting, is required to present an interim report by March 1, and a certain amount of legislation will be framed in the light of its recommendations. It is understood that the commission is making a searching investigation into departmental administration and staffing, and that it has already hinted at drastic economies, including substantial wage cuts throughout the Public Service. The general taxation question will not be considered bv the Government until it is able to review the completed year's figures, when it will be able to gauge •the prospects for next year with more certainty. The burden of direct taxation is already pressing very heavily and it is understood that search for revenue is being made in other directions. One proposal is that the tax on art unions should be increased from 5 to 10 per cent. Although the appointment of commissions has created much criticism, it is suggested in some quarters that the Government should have a thorough inquiry made into local body taxation, with a view to easing the burden of ratepayers in general and the rural community in particular. An inquiry into this problem was promised by the Prime Minister over a year ago, and in view of the acuteness of fhe_ depression primary producers are feeling the effects of heavy rating more than ever.