WORK OF SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1923, Page 5

WORK OF SESSION.

PARLIAMENT TO-MORROW. IMPORTANT BILLS COMING. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. FOREIGN POLICY DEBATE Parliament will open to-morrow afternoon. The Government's small majority lends exceptional interest to what promises to be an important session. The question of the Premier going to the Imperial Conference and New Zealand’s policy there will be decided, and legislation is expected on the taxation, gaming and licensing questions. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, T .ss* Night. The session which will open on Thursday is generally expected to be among the most interesting which New Zealand has experienced for a considerable time. Not for years have the Government and the Opposition sides of the House been so evenly balanced, and not since the early days of Mr. Massey’s administration has the House been in a condition in which it will need such careful watching. Members are assembling in Wellington now and the day preceding the opening will be one of party caucuses. The official opening will take place in the Legislative Council Chamber, where the “Speech from the Throne” will be delivered by the Governor-General. The speech may foreshadow a small amount of contentious legislation, but only so much as the Government feels compelled to introduce this session. Some al the contentious matter will not be introduced with the idea of having it passed this session, but merely with a view to having it started on its way through the Legislature. TAXATION PROPOSALS. There are five new Legislative Councillors to be sworn in and one new member of the House. z\ chairman of committees has to be found and there will be the appointment of a new Minister. The financial and the taxation proposals will be of exceptional interest, as Mr. Massey has said the he will reduce taxation by a couple of millions. There will be an important debate on the question of whether New Zealand should be represented at the Imperial Conference, and if so who the representative or representatives should be. It can be taken for almost granted that Mr. Massey will be allowed to go. The Liberals are not likely to stand in the way of his going, but may desire to have the House name the conditions on which he goes. This will involve a debate to arrive at New Zealand’s views on such important matters as the naval subsidy, immi- | gration and tariff, and it may be thought necessary that the opinion of the House should be obtained in the form of resolutions. It is not known what Labor’s attitude will be, but if the Liberals agree to the Prime Minister’s going Labor’s opposition will not be strong enough to prevent him.

GAMING AND LICENSING. Among the measures which will create Dominion-wide interest will be a Gaming Bill. It is most likely that this will come down this session. Clubs throughout New Zealand are moving in the direction of having the existing legislation amended and there is a general demand for an increase of totalizator permits. The racing people appear *- be confident they will have some of their requests granted. Licensing legislation is a certainty some time during the life of the present Parliament, and though this is a contentious subject it need occasion no surprise if the Speech indicates that the House will be asked to give some consideration to the. problem this session. A number of the members of the House are in favor of the separation of the licensing and genera’ election polls, but not a great deal may be heard of this until next session. Among the other legislation a proposal to amend the electoral laws so as to do away with the first-past-the-post system is looked for, but it may be allowed to wait over till a later session.