FEDERAL POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25134, 27 January 1943, Page 4

FEDERAL POLITICS

STORMY SESSION EXPECTED POSSIBILITY OF EARLY ELECTION (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 26. What may be the last session in the life of the present Federal Parliament will open at Canberra on Wednesday. The session, which is expected to prove t stormy one, will probably continue for at feast two months. The most important of the Bills to be submittted is that to extend the area of militia service within the ■South-west Pacific, while other controversial measures include: —(1) A Bill to impose drastic supplementary taxes which are expected to include a wages tax to contribute towards the estimated deficit of £70,000,000 in the current financial year; (2) a revised repatriation scheme to provide for servicemen and their dependents; (3) social service measures to cost £30,000,000 in the first year; (4) the Mortgage Bank Bill introduced in October and held over for examination by a Parliamentary Committee.

Before the end of the session the Government expects to know' whether all the States will accept the Powers Bill agreed to at the recent constitutional convention. If any State rejects the Bill before the session ends further contentious legislation authorising a nation-wide referendum may be introduced.

The possibility of an early election has been increased by the widening breach between the Government and the Opposition, and the coming session will be a crucial one for all parties. “Although the war should have pride of place in the discussions, party interests and political controversies may predominate,” writes the Sydney Telegraph’s political correspondent. “ The Government will be obsessed with the need, for window-dressing, knowing that this may be its last chance to make a brave show in Parliament. It will be eager to put through social legislation which will provide an opportunity for promising even better social benefits if Labour remains in office. The Government will also seek the support of the fighting services by the new repatriation legislation, and-of the rural community by setting up a mortgage bank. The Opposition will be doing its share of windowdressing. It will oppose the Governmen’s social legislation. It is certain to attack the Government for its man-power control. It is likely also to attack the Government for enforcing conscription only for the Southwest Pacific area, instead of for all war theatres.”