POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 20, 24 June 1913, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE COMING SESSION, t THE ELECTION OF SPEAKER. From Our Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. Parliament will be opened at 2.30 on Thursday afternoon by a Commission consisting of Sir" C. C. Bowen (Speaker of the Council), the Hon. H. D. Bell (Lender of the Council), the Hon W. BL D. Baillie, and the Hon. C. J. Johnston. The proceedings will merely take the form of the reading of the Commission, and then the House will be called upom to elect a Speaker, in place of the late Sir Arthur Guinness. No deflnite vinformation is available yet as to who will be Sir Arthur's successor. Mr. F. W. Lang, Chairman of Committee, has the right, by way of precedent to the position, but the claims of the Hon. J. A. Millar have been urged, and it has been suggested that if Mr. Long was willing to stand down, he would be nominated for the position by the Government. Spoken to to-day, Mr. Lang said that he knew nothing of the Government's, intentions. A meeting of the Cabinet was held to-day, and at its close the Prime Minister was asked if any definite action had been taken in connection with the choice of Speaker. Nothing had been done, he said, but he added that Mr. Lang had an undoubted right to the nomination for the position, and it would be unfair to refuse him Uiat right. U would, therefore, apoear that the choice rests largely in the hands of Mr. Lang. If ho ' insists on nomination, it is only natural to'assume Hint-the House will hack up , the nomination. .;.;. THE UPPER HOUSE. The Prime Minister was also fifiked if any provision would be made in the new Legislative Council Bill irr i)\?. remuneration of members if .that branch of the Legislature. 'Would tl-tir salaries he the same as at uresent, £2PO, as against £3OO paid to Members of the House of Representative? 'No," he said, "it is not usual to do so." The present Bill before Ca:iin.?t did not deal with the subject." GETTING HEADY. The final preparations for the opening of the session on Thursday are now being made. Ministers are busily engaged in putting the finishing touch to the policy measures, which will engage tEe attention of Parliament during the early part of the session, and the usual alterations to Parliament buildings, which | seem to be an inseparable feature, of the | opening of the session, are being hurried Ito a finish. So far, very few outside members have put in an appearance. A considerable contingent from both north and south are, however, expected toarrive during the next two days. Parliament will b'.« opened bv Coir-mission on Thursday. The House will then elect a Speaker and adjourn till Friday, when the Governor will deliver his Speech from the Throne. A motion in reference to the late Speaker will then be taken and an Imprest Supply KB may be put through the same day, but should there be a likelihood of much discussion, the Bill may be deferred till next .week. No official information is available regarding the Speakership,'but. it is understood that Mr. Lang, Chairman of Committee, will''be nominated and probably elected. The only other likely candidate is Mr. Millar. In the event of Mr. Lang being elected, Mr. Malcolm (Clutha) will probably be elected" 1 Clmu-man of Committee. " The Prime Minister, in the course of a eMt with your representative thi* evening, stated that the preparation* for |]i ( > session are well advanced. Asked whether he intended that Parliament should observe early hours, he said that ho saw no reason why the House should not rise as early as it did last session. when a volume of important butanes* was put through without recourse telle extensive encroachment on the smair hours of the morning, which were,, such a marked feature of some nrevtotis' sessions. In regard' to the" Legislative (oun-i! appointments, Mr. Massey had" no information to <rive bevond that already published. The appointments, he said, would in a !i probability be announced at the openhig of Parliament o* Thursdav. ™