PUTTING PRESSURE ON

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18257, 28 November 1933, Page 5

PUTTING PRESSURE ON

WORK OF PARLIAMENT END IN THREE WEEKS LONGER SITTINGS LIKELY (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. It is intended to put pressure 011 Parliament in the hope ol completing the legislative programme by December 15. Already the evening adjournment time has been extended till midnight, and Monday sittings will come next to hasten the end, as the Government wishes to defer to commercial opinion that the rising of Parliament has some good effect on retail trading.

It is a reassuring position that the era of emergency legislation has passed, and that a longer recess can be considered as a possibility. There is, consequently, every prospect that the proposed early session in 1934 will not eventuate. It had been thought necessary to meet by the end of March to deal with the tariff at the earliest moment, in accordance with the Ottawa understanding that. New Zealand duties will be revised, giving, if possible, greater preference to British manufactures. The tariff investigation was postponed at the request of the British manufacturers’ representatives, and has involved such an extensive inquiry that the commission probably will require a further extension of time before its report can be presented. It lias then to be considered by the. Government, and the amendment in the tariff decided upon. The actual report may not be available till the end of February. Therefore, it is quite possible that the session’s reopening will be delayed till May or June. The Government- still lias a number ol measures for consideration, though the accomplished programme is already substantial. Any serious bitch in connection with the legislation still to be considered would result in leaving it over. However, the important Finance Bill has yet to come, while the estimates will require a good deal of time tor consideration. The Companies’ Bill makes a further appearance next week after the expert committee lias reported on the amendments suggested by the House of Representatives.

(some important Select Committee investigations have to bo completed before the end of the session. The Industries and Commerce Committee has petrol prices under consideration in connection with a petition that the Government should fix minimum prices to prevent excessive competition, while the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee intends to take evidence on the proposal to make ai levy on wool, particularly in the North Island, with a view to financing researches into an improvement of quality.