Comment From The Capital PARLIAMENT PREPARES FOR THE SESSION’S LEGISLATION

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31120, 25 July 1966, Page 12

Comment From The Capital PARLIAMENT PREPARES FOR THE SESSION’S LEGISLATION

(From Our Ou-n Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 24. After its ten-day adjournment, Parliament is expected to increase its tempo when it resumes on Tuesday.

The recess has meant no relaxation for about half the sitting members; intensive committee work has brought quite a large amount oi legislation to the stage at which it can be dealt with by the House.

As from next Wednesday, Government business will take precedence in the House. This means that Opposition measures and notices of motion may be moved right off the effective part of the Order Paper. In other words, with the formal debates completed and the main legislation either introduced or indicated, the working part of the session is now on. Clearance of legislation is the main target, and the end of the session, though still far off, is in sight. At a rough estimate, and without including the possibility of another short adjournment, less than three months’ work remains. This would mean that the House could rise as early as October 7 or 14. Optimists hint that it will not sit past September—but the semi-official “deadline” is still given as Labour Day week-end. Within limits, the actual day of rising is dictated by the Opposition’s attitude. This year there is a strong feeling among the Opposition that, while the House provides a good forum for the Opposition, the time of members might be better spent in their electorates.

Committee Work Between Tuesday and Friday last, between 32 and 40 members met daily in various Select Committees. In addition, the Cabinet met on Tuesday for its usual long session, and Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries had their usual rounds of engagements.

Most active were the 10member Local Bills Committee which had two sessions daily in an attempt to reduce the mass of local measures requiring consideration, and the two petitions committees. The Public Expenditure Committee, which had already spent considerable out-of-session time inspecting Government institutions, had two long sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Statutes Revision Committee spent Thursday and Friday examining some important and contentious legislation, which included the Crimes Amendment and the Alcoholics’ Bills, both of which may be ready to proceed on Tuesday. If all goes well, the Local l ßills Committee will have

about 15 measures to bring back to the House. These may be expected to include the Christchurch Tramway District Amendment Bill and the Christchurch District Drainage Amendment Bill.' This hard-working committee will be left with some 17 measures still to examine. In addition, there are several “late starters," which will require the suspension of Standing Orders if they are to be allowed to proceed. It may be some time before the public hear anything about the work of the newly-appointed Road Safety Committee, of 12 members, which had two long meetings on Thursday and Friday. It is obvious that this will be no "rubber stamp” committee; its members have taken the active investigation role of the Public Expenditure Committee as an indication of what is required.

Early plans, it is understood, envisage a close examination of all means of road traffic control, accident prevention, and even road engineering. This would be a personal examination—which could lead some members into interesting situations.

Before The House

Even without the additions made by last week’s work, the Order Paper is beginning to present a cluttered appearance.

There are 40 items under “Orders of the Day," but four of these concern such matters as the incomplete debate on the Public Expenditure Committee’s report, and the interrupted second-reading debates on the Opposition measure on fire safety and housebuyers’ protection. The second-reading debate on the Industry Design Bill has to be completed, and there are 19 other secondreading debates to follow it. Most of the remaining measures, fortunately, are minor ones awaiting their committee stages. There are 15 of

them —but most concern individual university charters or the recognition of new republics. They have appeared on the Order Paper for some time now, and could well be disposed of in an afternoon. The notices of motion, which now extend over four pages, have also nearly “had their day." The position is better than last year’s as all except 10 notices of motion have had some kind of discussion—but no way appears to have been found to dispose of a motion, once brought up, except by “lapse of time.”

Servicemen’s Vote

If the Electoral Amendment Bill becames law this session, and if its provisions are applied to the November General Election, fewer than 200 servicemen will be affected. The bill would permit servicemen under 21 years of age serving in designated areas to vote in the election. The Opposition has fought against the measure on the principle that it gives a special voting privilege to a section of the community. As it is a measure involving voters’ rights, the bill requires a 75 per cent majority of the House in its favour before it can be passed. More spirited argument is expected when the measure comes forward again for its second reading—and it may not proceed further.

At present there are 213 servicemen in South-east Asia (that is, in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and in three Royal New Zealand Navy vessels in those waters). They include four naval ratings aged 17 and 42 aged 18. There are 80 19-year-olds in all three services, and 87 20-year-olds. In addition, 228 servicemen under training overseas or serving in other parts of the world are under 21. The probable total of servicemen under the age of 21 who will be in South-east Asia on election day in November is 170.