POLITICAL NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 31 October 1912, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

TIRED OF WORK

MEMBERS ANXIOUS FOR ADJOUKJNjiJ^Ni'.

(By Tekgraph.) (Special to "Chronicle.")

WELLINGTON, Oct. 30. An almost teverish anxiety to bring the session to a close is being displayed by many members of th e House of Representatives. This afternoon a dozen of them urged the Prime Minister to enumerate the Bills which he intends to place on the Statute Book this session, and to strike all others off the orderpaper, assuring him that every assistance would be given to enable the Government to carry its legislation through. Tho subject was raised by Mr Mac Donald (Bay of Plenty), and there was a. chorus cf "hear, hears/ from aU over the House when he suggested that the Ho;;s3 should sit in -The mornings to complete the business remaining. The chorus was renewed when Mr Russell (.Avon) expressed the opinion that if the position was faced energetically the session oould be concluded on Friday or Saturday of this week. Sir Joseph. Ward (Awarua) maintained that rush of business was unavoidable at the end of the session, when members got the "fever." The Prime Minister would have great difficulty in holding the House.

The Prime Minister replied that he could not name the day on which the session would end, but it would continue until all the business the order paper was dealt with. ' Tho Government had no intention of making imrcp.Goaable demands on the House. There were 62 Bills on the order paper, but 32 of them were private members' Bills, which had not the slightest possibility of coming forward this session. Dealing first with business not yet on the order paper, Mr Massey said there must be a Loan Bill, and he proposed to take the debate on this measure and on t-ho Public Works Statement on Friday afternoon, and the Public YY-jrks Estimates that evening. A short Education Bill was necessary, but it would cot take long. Another short measure, but a very important one,, was required to amend the State Guaranteed Advances Act. The Minister of Finance informed him that the Bill was essential. A short Railways Authorisation Bill must be put through or very serious inconvenience would result.

Of the 23 public Bills on the order paper, Mr Massey said 14 were in their linal stages, and as none of them was of primary importance, he thought most of them would be put through during the day. He maintained that up to the present there had been no rush, and practically no late- hours.

Replying to questions, the Prim© (Minister said the washing-up Bill wou'.d contain merely formal legislation. He promised legislation providing that settlers may borrow to erect telephone Sines. To-morrow afternoon the opportu~ nity would be given for a, discussion of tho report on the Taapo Totara Timber Company's petition. Later the report of the Public Accounts Committee would cause some debate, and if tho House w,as anxious for it, opportunity would bo given to discuss the Cost of Living Commission's report.

Mr Massey said he proposed to take a portion of the forenoon to deal with, the balance of the local Bills, and would bo willing at the close of the day's sitting to accept a motion that tho House should sit in the mornings.

A remarkable evidence of the members' desire to conclude the session was given a, few minutes later, when Mr. Veitch moved the adjournment of the House +o introduce the usual debate on Ministerial replies to questions. Defore the motion is accepted, Mr Speaker asks, "Will seven hon. memle-s rise in support of this motion?" Today not a. single member rose in response. It was a cruel snub, but it meant a saving of two hours, and the House w:ars~able to proceed immediate y with Bills.