LABOUR CAUCUS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21185, 4 November 1938, Page 7

LABOUR CAUCUS

MANY QUESTIONS DISCUSSED By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 3. The Administration of the Social Security Act, which is to come into operation on April 1, was one of the many questions discussed at the caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party held in Wellington to-day. The caucus, which met during the morning and afternoon, will be continued to-morrow. The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) presided, and the only absentee was Mr H. T. Ratana (Western Maori), who forwarded an apology for non-attendance. The gathering opened with a welcome by Mr Savage to members who had been returned to Parliament for the first time at the general election last month, and to the sitting members who had been re-elected. He also expressed regret at the absence of some members of the last Parliament. These candidates were only defeated by narrow majorities after having increased their vote, he said. Although the Government lost seats, it did not lose votes anywhere. “We have been discussing a thousand and one different things, Including the administration of the Social Security Act,” said Mr Savage, when Caucus adjourned this evening until tomorrow. “So far discussion has been on the lines of a general survey of things as they are in New Zealand, and the Government’s proposals for the future. No decisions have yet been made by Caucus about anything.” Asked if reference had been made at the Caucus to the question of appointing further Parliamentary Undersecretaries, Mr Savage said that the question had not been discussed.