The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1926. THE COMING SESSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 14 June 1926, Page 8

The Timaru Herald MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1926. THE COMING SESSION.

The first session of the new Parliament which opens this week will lie of more than nsnal interest in that the Coates Government. will be facing the House of ltepreaejnlafives for the first time' since it received, the' endorsement of the country , and the Labour Party, for the first time in the Dominion’s history, will be occupying the seats of the Opposition, 'l’here will bo a heavy programme of work for the House to get through, and it will be necessary for the Inme Minister to tak© liis depart-vu© for the Imperial Conference somewhere about the end of August or the beginning o± September. A definite announcement on this point will, it is understood, be made to Parliament, together with some definite information regarding the date of the Conference. It is generally believed that Mr Coates will leave the House sitting when lie departs for London, Mr Downie Stewart taking charge of the remaining business. Land legislation will again fio-ure on the Government’s prooramme, for there will be a Bill empowering the Government to dispose of various endowment lands which are not considered to be sufficiently worth retaining from a revenue point of view. The appearance of ibis measure may bo expected to revive the old-time leasehold v. freehold arguments. Following on the inquiries made abroad of _ the Rural Credits Commission, it is anticipated that there* will he a Bill dealing with the provision of credit facilities to fanners, hut the Land Banks Bill can scarcely bo brought down until late in the session, for it will take some little time for Cabinet to frame its legislative proposals after it receives the report, of the Commission. In accordance with Ins announcejneni? in the last Public Works Statement, Mr Coates intends to introduce a Bill constituting a Local Government BoarcT, to which all applications for loans by local bodies will be refeiTed. , It will be the function of this Board to- investigate thoroughly all such applications, and make recommendations to the Government concerning the propriety or otherwise of consenting to the money being raised. The idea is that all local body schemes which will necessitate the borrowing of money for their execution, shall first of all be scrutinised by a body of experts qualified to judge whether they are in the interests of the particular locality and of the country. One of the most important Bills of the session will be that proposing the adoption of a system of compulsory contributory pensions, somethingon the lines of an enlargement of the National Provident Fund, or of a national superannuation scheme. Tho preparation of. such a measure has entailed much research into pension systems in operation in other countries, and many elaborate calculation® have had to bo made to ascertain how - such a scheme can be launched on a basis which is sound actuarily. It is understood that the Bill will show that nothing short ! of a huge financial fabric will ! have to be built up to sustain a compulsory schema in its initial . stages. That is to say, to make provision for people who are now 1 between the ages of, say, 25 and (10, but it is not thought that the Bill will contain any provision for the payment of uncmploy- : meat benefits similar to tho ' English “dole” system, in view | of the fact that unemployment is but. intermittent, in New Zealand and seldom of a. widespread and really grave character. An allied social measure is the Family 1 Allowances Bill which is not likely to come down until well ■ on in the session. Information which the Government Statistician obtained at. the recent census in reference to family ' earnings had a direct hearing on lis Bill, but from the nature of . the questions asked on the liouso- ■ holders personal schedules, it is ■ unlikely that people earning up- ; wards of £6 or £7 per week will come within the scope of the Government’s proposals. In connection with this subject it is 1 interesting to note that the . family allowances system, has , come into increasing- vogue in • Franco while at the same time it has declined in popular favour in Germany. It is believed improbable that, tho Government will alter its policy in regard to the compulsory control of daily produce, lmt. this subject is sure to be raised. At any rate, a Bill : will be brouglit down to institute ’ the ward system of electing members to the Dairy Control Board, .the election to be on* a tonnago basis, six wards for the North Island and three for the South Island. The. Government's ] Mil icy, at any rate, may be ''expected to be attacked, but it would be too much to hope that, it might, be altered by pressure from the House, as the Labour Party supports it, and the votes of the Labour members together with those of tho Government Party in favour of control are sufficient to leave matters as they are while the Government is m its present frame of mind on the question. The Prime Minister has promised that a Licensing- Bill will be- submitted to members this season. Such a. Bill lias been asked for and promised in recent, occasions, lmt that is where the matter Jms ended. Although not. of a party nature, licensing questions, like

those connected with gaming', are always contentious. Improvements to the present licensingsystem have been promised, but what everybody is anxious to know is whether this year’s Bill (if it appears) will contain a provision extending the time between the polls. Broad hints have been given by the Minister of Mines from lime to time that lie is not wholly a believer in the allurements sometimes held out in mining prospectuses. He lias said that lie is prepared to assist genuine mining, but not those whoso interest in mining is centred in transactions on tfte Stock Exchange. Legislation will ho brought in dealing with mining prospectuses. Harbours legislation will be of some importance this session, especially as in view of certain happenings in one or two parts of the country, it is intended to give the Marino Department power to decide whether any particular district is able to support a harbour. There has been a tendcncy in recent years for coastal harbours to spring up like mushrooms, with consequent _ heavy burdens on the people in surrounding districts trout the standpoint of finance, and a certain amount of loss to the railways, in the matter of the carriage of "goods: Besides the general question of harbour provision, the Bill will contain prohibition against the discharge of oil fuel into harbours to the detriment of fish and foreshores. To afford protection against unfair competition it is expected there will be a Bill providing- for the registration of tobacconists, and'there will be other measures dealing with the closing hours of shops, the industrial laws, compensation to workers, amendments to tiro Municipal Corporations ■ Act, changes in the publicity scheme, town planning, compulsory grading of cream, and comprrlsory dehorning of cattle will also he submitted to the House. In addition there will be other Bills, one giving effect to the recommendations of the University Commission, another empowering the establishment of tho Agricultural College, while others will concern unregistered dentists and the registration of opticians. There may also he amendments to the electoral law, particularly with respect to voting- by sick people, and in connection with the assessment of costs by Election Courts. Doubtless the general question of finance, tariff and social and 1 educational problems will be considered, and altogether tire House, may look forward to a very interesting- programme of wpi-k.