DURATION OF SESSION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 4947, 23 September 1914, Page 5

DURATION OF SESSION.

STATEMENT BY PREMIER. ABOUT FOUR WEEKS MORE. (By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.) Wellington, This Day. A discussion as to the duration of the session followed the Prime Minister’s statement in the House yesterday afternoon that the elections would take place in the ordinary course this year. Mr Massey had moved the customary motion—always moved after a certain number of weeks of the session have passed — that for the remainder of the session Government business shall take procedure over private members’ Bills on Wednesdays. A member: How long will the session last? Mr Massey: My opinion is that the session will end about the usual time. There is no reason why the session should be any longer than the last session of Parliament usually is, and 1 think we should close down this year on about October 20th. Sir .Joseph Ward asked the Prime Minister what business he proposed to go on with this session. The Prime Minister should indicate what legislation lie proposes to go on with and whether he proposes to introduce Party Bills. Mr Massey: What do you call Party Bills? ' Sir J. Ward: Well, policy Bills. Air Massey: Loan Bills are policy Bills, and there are two Loan Bills. Sir J. Ward: Then I will say Bills that are likely to provoke party criticism. He urged that the Government sbould end the session in a week or a fortnight. The Hon. W. Fraser and other Ministers : It can’t possibly be done. Sir J. Ward: When I see Ministers in agreement on a question of this kind I must conclude that there is some intention to introduce public legislation. Mr Fraser: Nothing of the sort, but you simply cannot get the public works estimates printed in time. Sir Joseph Ward said the Government had urged the people of the country to go about their business, adn he believed that the fact was that the people of the country wanted to be allowed to go about their business without having politics forced upon them. “Let’s bring the session to an end as early as possible,” he concluded and “let’s have a. happy election for once.” (Hear, hear.) Tho Prime Minister said that with regard to the business of the ses sions he could make no statement yet. but he would do so within a week or ten days. It was absurd to say the session could be ended in a foitnigbt. There were certain imjxirtunt measures before Parliament that would have to proceed. Among these he mentioned the Education Bill, the Legislative Council Bill, the Local Grants and Subsidies Bill, and the Cook Islands Bill. These Bills it. would be very unwise to drop and they would certainly occupy the House for much longer than a week or ten days.