PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19157, 14 November 1927, Page 8

PARLIAMENT.

1 — THE LICENSING BILL.

LIVELY DEBATE ANTICIPATED. [THE PEESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 13. . Members are busy getting their ammunition ready for the licensing battle, which i 3 likely to be a lively one. Parliament has now been 143 days in session, and if the session lasts till the end of the month, which is possible, it will nearly approach the time of the record session of 1913, which was 173 days. The Licensing Bill is likely to come up for its second reading ion Tuesday. •While the Prime Minister has assumed sole responsibility for the Bill as it now is, and has declared definitely that it is non-Party, and, further that he regards the measure as a suitable framework on which to build to an acceptable statute, it is not to be taken that he will accept every amendment that may be moved.Mr Coates has given careful consideration to all the points of view of the opposing Parties, and it is his belief that in the major clauses of. the Bill he has evolved a compromise that should be acceptable, if not to all, at least to the great majority of the electors.

The report of the Labour Bills Committee on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill is expected early in the week. It is hoped that the taking of evidence on the Bill would be completed on Friday, but the ringing of the division bells on an amendment to the Petrol Tax "Bill called members of the Committee away, and it had to adjourn until Tuesday. It is anticipated that the motion that the report of the Committee do lie on the table of the House will be freely debated.

Other business expected during the week includes the Railway Bill, which is a measure affecting the staff, and a Public Service Bill.