THE COMING SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 529, 9 June 1909, Page 8

THE COMING SESSION.

NEWS 'AND NOTES. . ' "AN EXCELLENT START" FOE THE OPPOSITION." / Of , the eighty members of the. Lower Honso only four were abseiit from tho informal meeting hold on Monday night. Tho absonteca were as follow William Steward, and Messrs. Herrios, Glover, and Itaihau. Members of the Opposition party oxpress thomsclvcs as quite satisfied ■ with the t division. - "It was an excellent start" was the way in which a prominent ■ member put it. Had. Messrs. Henies and, Glover been present, their votes woiild haro gone against the. proposals of the Government.- It is interesting to note that Mr. Remington was the only member present .who did not record, his vote.

. Mr. Fisher Joins the. Opposition. The Opposition party held an enthusiastio meeting last night. Mr.- Fisher (the member for Wollington Central), who was', present, announced. his intention of working for ■ the party ,'in future. Members i expressed themselves pleased with the results of the debate oii Monday evening. ■ Mr. Hurdv, member for Selwyn, 'was appointed a Whip,' and it was decided that the other appointment should be made at a later date. Tho Hansard Record. Uncertainty prevailed in .' some . quarters prior to. the" informal meeting: on Monday whether the decision of tbe Government ■ to have a record taken by the Hansard stafE of the proceedings would go unchallenged. None of tho members, however, seemed to think that'thero was any good reason why the dcuato should not bo printed. . . In view of the full reports published in the press, few will take'the trouble to peniso the official record. By, Ministerial, supporters ■ its contents will not be read I ,with rolish 4 for,' whilst'.tho proposal of the Prime Minister that' Parliament; should" adjourn, during his absence, was endorsed by only two or three . Government members who took part in tho debate,, strong reasons why. it Bhould.be rejected were given by momber after member on the Opposition side. V ..■• . ' .;' -. -■ " Formal Opening of Parliament. The formal : oponing of Parliament, which is usually Bomothing of ; a . social function, ;threatens.' to be- very- dull this' -ye;ir..'. Thisbeing a,new Parliament,; the formal oponing ■will be by commission to-morrow, 1 and -on Friday , : the Governor will appear in Council, and , will deliver his. Speech :: at. 2.30. , p.m. No invitations havo been issued to.nle'mbers •of:the" publio to 'bo present, on either occasioiij owing >to-the very. restricted precincts of ;the': Legislative ' Council . Chamber, in which ..the 1 functions -must be held. - "'The commissioners, who will formally open Parsliament: to-morrow,: will be the Speaker' of the Legislative Council (the Hon. C. 0. 15owen), the representative ' 'of 1 tHe' Government in,the'Council (the Hon. Dr. Findlay), and two orraoro othermembers,: l of the Upper Chamber. ' Theso , other .members, whose presence is. purely formal, are usually chosen from the, senior members of. -.the Council. When '. the : commissioners have taken' thoir seats, the Chief Comm. 6sionor (tho Hon. C. 0. Bowen)-will state that "his lixcellency the" Governor, not': thinking fit to bo present horo this day, hath been' pleased , to,' cause a .commission to be issued, in'order to the opohing: and holding of'this Parliament.'' ' The Chief, Commissioner, will then command : the Clerk of the House, -Mr. H< Otterson, to inform tho members of the House of Representatives that .the 'Commissioners desire - their:' immediate ' attend-, atfyj in/the Legislative Council Chamber, to hear;tho letters patent appointing 'the' commission , road. lie members; of the Houso of Representatives having come, the Chiof Commissioner-makes proclamation of the au-* thority of tho commission to open Parliament, -and:,tho letters patent are-read by the' Clork. '; Tho _ Chief .Commissioner.,; then announces that his Excellency i the Governor will'deliver his Speech oh the following day, . and the' members of the Houbo of Representatives' repair to ; their. ' Chamber .to elect' a Speaker. "At the ceremony on • EViday; when tho Governor's Speech is delivered,it is .expected that the;. Governor's : party, Lady ; .Ward, and' Mrs,. iFindlay, wjll have room found for, them as usual on tho floor of the-Chamber. A few-othor members of tho public may be able to view tho proceed-; ingq from the narrow, gallery which,accommodates press and Hanaard, but the .number will bo rery small.

A somewhat unusual hour has been fixed for; the opening of Parliament on Thursday. As a rulo the proceedings aro timed .to begin at 2.30 p.m... On this. occasion; however, members lave been called' together for : 11.30 a.m. . . '■ ■ Land for Retrenched Civil Servantß. ; Considerable interest is takeii in tho Premier s announcement that ,tho Governmont'ivill acquire areas of laiid in both islands , for! the use : of retrenched 'civil 'servants whose superannuation • allowance': does not esoeed £75 a year. This will presumably bo. done under ■: the Native Land Acquisition and Crown, Land Improvement Act, 1894, which has been used in a number,of instances to provide land for special settlements, 'including .those for co-operative navvies and other workers employed on 'the Main Trunk railway, Under.-this Act' Special oonditiona may be laid down,'and'it would thus be possible to provide that nobody but retired civil servants • should take up . the land" which it is proposed to set apart. ~'• /■ ■ ' . The Minister for Labour yesterday informed a. Dominion reporter - that. th.o North . ,Island r aToa, consisted of several blocks, in the Auckland' portion of - the ffirig Country totalling some 200,000 acres, which have boon acquiredby the; Government from tho Natives during tho : past year. The land had ho added,-yet to be surveyed before/it waa availableffor selection-, • .' .-. ■ • Legislative Council and Adjournment. Halt .an hour and five minutes sufficed for tho two matters of tho Primo, Minister's departure, and the, adjournment of tho Par-. 1 liamentary; session, to be. dealt with by the Council yesterday afternoon. The the double- proposal by a unanimous vote, although tho Hon. J. T. Paul expressed regret ,that tho' motion conveying, their: endorsement had not been di-vided-into-two parts; A lively:harangue.by. the Hon; Wi Pere, who levelled at Mr. Paul what Chatham .called "the atrocious chargo of being, a young man," and'whose, interpreter begged; to be . excused from rendering ono remark intended to demolish* the pakeha, was a bright oasis in the debate. Length of tho Session.' "What is to come Ve know not," say the members of .both .parties when asked- to hazard an opinion- on tho: probable length of the session.: ' It is. generally considered that. Sir Josoph Ward,.-since ho will liavo to return by a fixed date, will be anxious :to leave the Dominion at the first possible moment,' Some - members of tho Government party belierve that session will bo ovor on Saturday, but others are by no means so sanguino. llioy state that .tho timo which business will tako must largely bo determined by tho Opposition. Two days will bo lost over the opening by commission, of Speakor, and Governor's Speech,, unless it should be'dccided, to all precedent, to continue sitting . alter the Speech is .delivered on' Friday. ' Thereafter thore are the Loan Bill, and Imprest Supply to. bo considered, the latter in particular offenng unlimited opportunities for prolonged debate. Both on the Imprest Supply and on'the Address-in-Roply, members are allowed to speak on any question,, from tho necessity ■ for , a backblooks bridge, to tho defenco of tho Empire. 11: is liberty is part of tho traditional right of members to refuse Supply until they have obtained redress of. grievances, a right that has boon maintained at the cost of some stormy struggles in British history.

Mr. Massey, however, states that it is hardly correct to say that tho length of tho preliminary session will depend upon tho Opposition. l . "We are not. going to allow important matters to go tiit.hout discussion," said Mr. 'Massev to . a Dominion representative yestertay, vbut we have no desire unnecessarily

to delay the proceedings of what is intended to bo a short aeasion. There will bo the revenues subject, and, according to what the Primo Minister stated yesterday, there will b© a Loan Bill,'' probably for a very considerable amount.. Then-there will be a ™,, 0 ' S? 1 ! 1 ?. 80r t, probably an amendment 0 if . Revenues Act, providing for supply, .until the time comes; for resumption of the session. So that thero are unlimited opportunities for discussion, and once a dobate is started one never knows where it is going to end."

Speakership and Chairmanship.. . Nothing is yet definitely known as to who are likely to be candidates for tho Speakership and Chairmanship of Committeos. It via rumoured yesterday that Mr. Guinness, who has been elccted Speaker of two Parliaments unopposed, baa made satisfactory amends for his suggestion of pugnacious inclinations in a speech on -the Coast, but this was afterwards denied. It is generally believed, however, that Mr. Guinness will be the Government's nominee .for the Speakership, and after hie chances, those of Mr. Wilford Me favoured. It is suggested that tho Chairmanship of Committees will probably console Mr. Wilford for-the loss of the higher honour. Tha Preliminary Canter. "So far as I am conccrned, I am pleased with the new Pariiamont," said tho Leader of the Opposition to a Dominion .representative yesterday, "and proud of the party with which I: happen to be connected. From my point'of view, tho. preliminary cantor yesterday. was. entirely satisfactory, and, I think, goes to show that later on, the new members will bo able to give a remarkably good account of themselves." • Civil Service Reform. Mr. Hanari, member for Invercargill, and a Government, follower, who recently urged that annual efficiency tests should be inaugurated in the various Departments of the Civil Service, statos that : lie . would have no o.bjection to a return.being presented to Parliament showing, the name, status, period .of ■sorvioa, and other circumstances of civil servants'who are being retired under the. retrenchment scheme. Mr. Hanau has received numerous letters from members of the public service throughout tho Dominion approving of hib efficiency teats proposal. The followr ;ing statement, contained m a letter from a •prominent civil servant, is .typical of 'othor i opinions received 1

: ; I can assure you that your published opin- • ions as to .test examinations and promotion by, merit commend themselves to the think-' ing portion of tho service, and are regarded by them aa'a death-blow to the. bogy seniority. . The Commonwealth of Australia has a commissioner deeply imbued with your views, and his returns dibw that* the inauguration ;of' examinations and recognition of merit have, loft their ciark on the efficiency of the service. It is too often overlooked, that the 'man who progresses by merit is at concert pitch all the time, whilo the seniority man has simply to . sit by, and time does-all tho' rest for him." • . ■. . . .

; Mr. Ilanan intends to move.for several returns in connection with the Civil Service which he thinks will prove interesting and instructive.

•The Hon. J. T. Paul raised tie point that! as . the; dismissals for retrenchment motives have only just commenced, and will presumably be Continuing for somo time, it would be necessary either to defer the return until tho second, half of, the session, or to. bring down ■ a series of .returns. He agreed that thore should , riot be the slightest element of favouritism in connection with tho retrenchment schemo. ;V

• Mr. - Massey expressed the opinion' I that Parliament should bo fully infonned of what is being done in regard to retrenchment, and should be supplied with returns: giving .the names and circumstances of all the men whose services are being dispensed' with. Whatever'was done in tho way of retrenchment should be dono : systematically, 1 and unnecessary hardship should bo avoided.

, A Significant Fact, is significant that ill the'members for Wellington City, which is 'tho seat of government, and also .the member ; for Wellington buburbs, voted against the proposal that the business of tho country should be suspended during the absenoo of, tho Prime .Minister from tho Dominion. It is probable that tho. comparatively . small majority .of fifteen votes by.which tho proposal was carried would have been ixxluccd to thirteen if Air. Hernes. the Opposition stalwart, from the Bay of Plenty, and Mr, Glover (Auckland Antral).had .been present.. Mr. Glover is a Government supporter, but be had "ok•HWjy himself opposedito an adjournment. ■Mr. Ilrrries arrived' in Wellington yesterday. A Denial. , -Mr. Massey. denies a statement which'has , been published that ho condemned tho building arrangements made for the present session as 'too,extravagant." So far as mom.bers are conoerned,; ho states, there is no,thing to complain of. What ho did say was that -ho thought that ' his' prediction made last/year 'was about, to come true, that as much money-would' bo, spent on these temporary premises as would have .rebuilt that portion of the old building that was burned, and that on "top of this expenditure-we should have to face tho huge scheme for permanent buildings outlined last, sossion. .1 expressed no opinion as to tho extravac buildings or otherwise." 1 said Mr. Massey. \ • N . Not a ''Little Englaiitler." , :' 3^® s pito _his strenuous protestations to ; the , contrary,. Mr. R., A. Wright was representedyesterday by the, uncontrollable compositor as himself a "Little -'Eriglander.". •As Mr..Wright is himself a printer, ho- will be able to forgive the incredible suggestion.