FINAL SESSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24639, 19 July 1943, Page 2

FINAL SESSION

WORK FOE PARLIAMENT THREE WEEKS LIKELY (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Sunday With the resumption of the Parliamentary session on Tuesday afternoon, members of the House of Representatives will be reassembling for the last meeting of the present Parliament before its dissolution and the general election. When the House adjourned on July 2. an afternoon had been devoted to discussion on the estimates of departmental expenditure, and it is expected that consideration of these will be continued this week. No official indication hiis yet been given as to the remaining legislation to be introduced, and dealt with before Parliament disbands, but the programme is believed to be fairly considerable. War Pensions and Age Benefits Amendments to both the War Pensions Act and the Social Security Act will be necessary to give efiect to the increases in war pensions and in age benefits announced in the Budget and, as these are to operate from July 1, the two measures will have to be retrospective in effect. The usual washing-up bills, a Local Legislation Bill, a Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, and a Native Purposes Bill 'will also have to be passed, as well as the Appropriation Bill. An amendment to the Electoral Act may be necessary to deal with the position of military defaulters in detention camps in regard to voting at the general election. When the question was raised in the House the last day it met, the Prime Minister, the Jit. Hon. P. Eraser, said he had not had time to look closely into the matter, and that, as the law stood at present, he could ikm. see how men in detention camps could vote, nor could he sen any reason to make any differentiation between persons under restraint; in institutions. However, it; is now thought that a bill will be necessary to se'e.that the question is put beyond all doubt so far as these men are concerned. New Faces in Next Parliament From several quarters, indications have been given of the Government's intentions to bring down a measure stabilising property values, but this bill has yet to appear. Even if there are no changes of representation in electorates contested by sitting members, there will be a number of new faces in the next Parliament, for several members are not seeking re-election. These are the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Opposition— Hurunui), the Hon. W. Lee .Martin (Government Raglan), the Hon. J. G. Cob be (Opposition—Manawatu), Dr. I). G. McMillan (Government —Dunedin West), Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Independent—Egmont), Mr. H. G. Dickie (Opposition Poison (Opposition—Mid-Canterbury), who en.tered Parliament as Mrs. A. N. Grigg. Following the recent deaths of the lit. Hon. .!. G. Coates (Opposition— Kaipara), Sir Alfred Ransom (Opposition —Pahiatua), and the Hon. P. Iv. Paikea (Government —Northern Maori), the seats they held are still vacant, the election of successors to these three members having been postponed until the general election. Election Date Not Yet Known The general impression is that the session resuming on Tuesday will last about three weeks, and that members will be anxious to expedite the transaction of business to enable them to begin their election campaigns. Although it has been announced that the election is to take place in September. the exact date has not yet been revealed. The Prime Minister has indicated that he hopes to do this when Parliament resumes. The Minister of M arine, the Hon. J. O'Brien, said in Grey mouth a week ago that he thought lie could safely say that the election would be held between September 11 and September 30.