TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES

Southland Times, Issue 23544, 25 June 1938, Page 8

TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES

SOCIAL SECURITY AND EDUCATION BILLS LATE SITTINGS EXPECTED BY MR SAVAGE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 24. The programme for the final session of New Zealand’s 25th Parliament, which will open on Tuesday, was outlined in an interview this evening by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). The actual legislation to be passed, Mr Savage said, would be restricted as far as possible to matters of urgency, but ample opportunity would be given for discussion and in all probability the session would last until September. “The proceedings on Tuesday will be confined to the official opening of the Parliament by the Governor-General (Viscount Galway),” said Mr Savage. “After the reading of the Speech from the Throne and the subsequent transaction of formal business, we will adjourn until Wednesday afternoon, when a start will be made with the Imprest Supply Bill. This must be passed before the end of the month and, in consequence, it will have to go through in one sitting.” The Address-in-Reply debate would be opened next Thursday evening, Mr Savage continued. In the House of Representatives, the customary motion would be moved by Dr D. G. McMillan (Lab., Dunedin West) and seconded by Mr B. Roberts (Lab., Wairarapa). No attempt would be made to curtail the Address-in-Reply debate, Mr Savage added. It had to be recognized that a general election was immediately ahead and that members would naturally be anxious to discuss matters of interest. However, it was possible that late sitting hours might have to be observed in order to expedite the work of the session.

The proceedings of the House would be broadcast daily, the broadcast ceasing at -11 o’clock each night. “As soon as the Address-in-Reply debate is disposed of,” said Mr Savage, “the way will be open for the introduction of the Budget, and then we should be able to proceed with legislation. The two most important measures will be the* Bill giving effect to the Government’s Social Security proposals and the Education Amendment Bill. The latter Bill has been considered during the recess by the Education Committee of the House and when it is reintroduced it will probably reveal several variations from its original form.”

Mr Savage added that the report of the special Parliamentary Committee which investigated the Government’s health and superannuation proposals would probably not be tabled in the House until the conclusion of the Address-in-Reply debate. He understood there would be no necessity for amending legislation to give effect to the adjustment in the guaranteed price announced by the Minister of Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash) at New Plymouth on Wednesday. All the requisite power for making of additional payment was contained in the amending legislation passed last year. “An amendment will be required if a special tribunal is to be appointed to fix the price for the coming season,” Mr Savage said, “but the latest reports indicate that farmers have changed their minds about the tribunal. Some of them are trying to suggest that we are endeavouring to dodge the responsibility in the election year. Nothing could be further from the truth. They can have a tribunal if they want it, but if they don’t we will not run away from the job. We will set that justice is done, and we will be prepared to accept the verdict of the people.”