Heavy Programme Of Legislation in Coming Session

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26779, 24 May 1948, Page 6

Heavy Programme Of Legislation in Coming Session

parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON, May 23. A heavy programme of legislative business awaits members of the House of Representatives for the session of parliament which is to open on June 22. From what is already known, the House will have a very wide range of subjects to deal with apart from the Address-in-Reply debate, the financial debate and departmental estimates. Although the Postmaster-general, Mr Hackett, stated in Auckland last week that he did not anticipate any major legislation, some of the issues to come before the House are expected to be controversial. It was also stated by Mr Hackett that a lot of time, would be spent in overhauling legislation which might have leakages in it and in “ tying up loose ends.”

Tributes to deceased legislators will be taken the day following the opening of Parliament by the GovernorGeneral, Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C. Those who have died since Parliament last met are Messrs Mark Fagan, Speaker of the Legislative Council; R. A. Wright, a .former Minister of the Crown; and J. G. Elliott, a former member for the old electorate of Oroua.

The Imprest Supply Bill will have to be passed before June 30, and this will give Opposition members their first opportunity to raise questions of public interest. Their usual practice is to concentrate on this occasion on one particular subject, as the Address-in-Reply and financial debates provide equally unlimited opportunities for discussion. A caucus of the opposition is to be held in Wellington on Friday. The agreement arising out of the Geneva and Havana gonferehces on world trade and employment is also due for early consideration, as ratififcation, if considered desirable, is necessary before the end of June. The effect of the charter on the system of Imperial preferences is likely to be the chief issue in this debate, i Among important subjects to be considered will be that of compulsory universal national service, including military service. In his address to the annual conference of the Labour Pawheld in Dunedin earlier in the month, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser stated that some of the questions that the Government, Parliament, and ultimately the people would have to consider were those of what efficient defence forces were necessary in the light of modern scientific developments, whether such defence forces could be met effectively on a purely voluntary basis, to what extent shouid national service go on, and what would be he effect of national service on industry. Legislation providing, . for, the nationalisation of coal mining in the Dominion is expected to be introduced by the Minister of Labour, M. McLagan. This legislation was to have come down last year but it did not make an appearance. Mr McLagan, m his capacity as Minister of Labour, has already indicated that be would introduce consolidation of fair rents leeislation this year. * Committees appointed by the caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party are studying the reports of the Licensing Commission and the Gaming Commis sion with a. view to framing proposals for legislation. It is pro cable • that licensing legislation will be incorporated in three Bills. Establishment of off-course betting through the totalisator is expected to be an important feature of the gaming legislation. . Other measures which have been indicated include a Bill to provide for more effective treatment of tuberculosis and a measure to provide for the establishment of a transport co-ordina-tion council to fix all road transport and harbour ferry freights and fares. The possibility of legislation dealing with the appointment of Government nominees on harbour boards has also been mentioned while there has been reference on various occasions to tne likelihood of legislation establishing a separate court of appeal. Besides these measures, an exceptionally large number of reports will have to be considered by Parliament this year, some of which will probably lead to legislation. Four select committees are to report to the House on the investigations they have been making during the recess, these being the film inquiry committee, the emergency regulations committee, the constitutional reform committee and the lands committee on the future of Waipoua State Forest. The report of the Royal Commission on Ballantyne’s fire is expected to come before the House and legislation is to be introduced extending the time within which claims arising out of the fire can be made. Other reports the House may have to consider are the report of the committee making fin inquiry into the taxi industry, the report by Dr Earl Carlson on the treatment of spastic paralysis, the report of the board of inquiry into the Seddon railway disaster and that of the commission now investigating the patent laws of the Dominion.