THE SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19669, 11 December 1933, Page 6

THE SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

END EXPECTED ON SATURDAY PROGRAMME FOR THE WEEK (Prom Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 10. The substantial progress made during the past week and the absence of marked contention from the remainder of the legislative items, to be submitted to the House will enable the business of the third session of the twenty-fourth Parliament of New Zealand to conclude late on Saturday night next. Tills is the schedule to which the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, is working and in its execution he has the co-operation of the official Opposition judging by the comments made before the House rose after its first Saturday sitting. It is anticipated by the Cabinet that tile outcome of the session’s work will have been sufficiently substantial to w'arrant the granting to New Zealand of a legislative holiday, and the present plans provide for the holding of one session only next year. This it has been agreed by the Ministers should not open before May, 1934, and if possible should be deferred for another month. The only justification for a session In February or March is the revision of the entire Customs tariff, and although the Government is laying itself open to the charge of delaying for too long the discharge of New Zealand's obligations under the Ottawa pact, it considers that the best interests of the country will be served by returning to the normal session date and dealing with the ordinary routine and any special business in conjunction with the tariff issue. In expressing his satisfaction with the progress made by Parliament during the week, the Prime Minister outlined the new measures that the House will be asked to consider during the coming week, which period he regards as the ultimate of the session. The programme includes a second Finance Bill, an amendment of the Valuation of Land Act, the Education Amendment Bill, the consolidation and amendment of the legislation affecting mortgagors. Auckland Milk Bill, the Supplementary Estimates and the Appropriation Bill. On Monday afternoon the House will consider the reports of the Health, Mental Hospitals and Mines Departments, and In the evening will deal with the Finance Bill and the Municipal Corporations Bill. For Tuesday the Prime Minister has set down the remaining classes of the main estimates and other Government Bills on the order paper. Including the Harbours Amendment Bill and the Trustees Amendment Bill. Provision has to be made, also, for the disposal of the Public Works Estimates. “In the new measures to be introduced.” said the Prime Minister, “there is nothing of any great importance, and with the programme we have fixed it should be possible for the House to complete its business within a reasonable time next week. I cannot see any particular obstacles or difficulties in the way.”