BUSINESS OF HOUSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25301, 11 August 1943, Page 2

BUSINESS OF HOUSE

FASTER PROGRESS REQUIRED QUESTION OF CONCLUDING DATE (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 10. The view that it would *be impossible to complete the business of the House of Representatives in two weeks and that the sittings would probably have to continue into the last week before the dissolution on August 28 was expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, when the House resumed at 2.30 to-day. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, had asked him to indicate the prospects of concluding the session. The Prime Minister said the House should commence to sit reasonably late hours in order to dispose of the business. He felt that it should sit at least until midnight each night. In reply to an interjection by Mr F. W. Doidge (Oppn., Tauranga), who asked whether urgency would be taken for the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Bill, Mr Fraser said he would not dream of denying members an opportunity to speak on such an important measure. Members could not hope to discuss the business at length and still have four weeks for the election campaign. Mr J. A. Lee (Dem. Lab., Grey Lynn): Why not drop some of the Bills or put back the election another week? The Prime Minister: No one can say the sittings have been strenuous. It is reasonable to expect members to work late hours in order to finish the business. Mr Doidge: Why bring down the Land Sales Bill in the dying hours of the session? The Speaker, Mr W. E. Barnard, intervened to say that the question did not arise from the discussion, and the Prime Minister said that Mr Doidge could put that question when the Bill was under debate.