BUSINESS OF HOUSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 10

BUSINESS OF HOUSE

BRISKEft PACE EXPECTED PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES FINANCE BILL AWAITED r [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Monday A brisker pace in the conduct of Parliamentary business is expected to be set this week. The House of Representatives will resume to-morrow afternoon after tho customary week-end recess and with tho bulk of the Estimates now passed Government bills will engage the attention of members for tho greater part of the week. There are at present 12 such bills on the order paper, but several of them are being examined by select committees. A caucus of Government members may bo hold early this week for tho purposo of discussing tho legislative programme for the remainder of the session. Tho dates for tho termination of tho session and tho holding of the general election may also bo considered. Among tho legislative measures yet to appear is tho Finance Bill, which will give efTect to tho Budget promise of a per cent increase in salaries of civil servants. There is still a liopo in certain quarters that the provisions of tho bill may bo moro generous than tho declaration in tho financial statement and that some portion of tho restoration may be made retrospective from April 1. As it is, tho 7J per cent restoration dating from October 1 cannot be paid until tho Finance Bill is passed. The civil service pay day falls to-morrow and accordingly members of tho sorvico will have to wait at least a fortnight for the return of something approaching pre-depression salaries. The possibility of granting a retrospective increase is being investigated by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Coates, but it is hardly likely that ho will make any announcement on the subject until the Finance Bill appears in the House. There' was a fairly general exodus ot Cabinet Ministers from Wellington during tho week-end, but most of them are expected to return by to-morrow morning.