THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20489, 7 March 1932, Page 8

THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

VERY LITTLE WORK DONE. EXCHANGE AND UNEMPLOYMENT. [Fbom Our Parliamentary Rm'ojiter.] WELLINGTON, March 5. During the -week the House of Representatives accomplished no more than laying the foundations for the ■work' ahead. In the face of heaVy opposition from the Labour Party, the Government forced the closure motion through at a late sitting, and later used this' drastic means of securing the first reading of the Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Before it becomes law there is sure to be a fierce battle. » So far the Arbitration Amendment is tho only Bill before the House. Others must be drafted and presented in the near future. But the Economy Commission, which is examining the possibilities of Departmental and other economies and framing in a general way a policy of reconstruction, has been given extra time to consider its position, and this has necessarily delayed the Government in determining exactly what action will be necessary to meet tho immediate financial position. Tho Commission has been given until early next week to present its interim report. Though it will not give all of the recommendations, this report will j contain the Commissioners' views upon the steps that are urgently necossary. Further suggestions for planning tbo economic policy of the future will be embodied in another report to be presented later. Meanwhile, tho Minister for Finance cannot add the final touches to several measures which are almost ready for the law draughtsman. Something will probably be heard in the next week about the lontative trade agreement between New Zealand and Canada. So far as New Zealand is concerned, no difficulty is anticipated in securing ratification by Parliament of tho terms agreed upon at the Honolulu parleys, but no announcement has been made bv the Government as to whether the Canadian authorities have found the treaty favourable. Important Questions. Two' important questions are understood to be engaging the attention of Cabinet this, week-end. Oik* is the exchange problem, upon which the Committee of Economists has given its opinion, and about -which an early decision is expected from the Government. The other is the announcement of the Government's policy on unemployment, upon which Mr Coates has been working for some time. The Budgetary situation, upon which the economists reported, is also under close consideration. There are reasons for the belief that the exchange problem has been one of Cabinet's thorniest subjects of discussion since the new Government was formed The Minister's statement upon unemployment will outline the measures the Government proposes to take in the Unemploymnet Bill, to be introduced and passed later this session. An increase in the wage-tax will almost certainly b? announced, but no one yet knows what tho -increase will be. The tax is so closely bound up with other taxation, both direct and indirect, that tho general position of the taxpayer has to be considered as well as Hie condition of the Unemployment Fund. Length of Session. The session will last longer than was at first thought, and it is how expected that the greater part of April will be required to give legislative effect to the ebonomy measures necessary to bring the Government's policy into operation. -In the coming week the Prime Minister will move to have th<> sitting hours of this session lengthened to midnight instead of 10.30, and at the Same time, Mr Forbes will reintroduce the "Monday sitting. This will hasten the end of tho Address-in-Reply, which has now occupied three days, and which tho Prime Minister hopes to conclude on Wednesday, or Thursday.