THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 694, 20 December 1909, Page 7

THE SESSION.

WHEN WILL THE END BE7-AN ANGRY LEADER.

SIR JOSEPH CONFRONTS THE CAUCUS. ' AVhon will. tho. House rise? This was ths principal topic , of conversation ' among : membors yesterday. It was genorally. felt that, if tho . Consolidated Estimates had been disposed of. on Saturday, .the session l would, almost for! a (jcrtainty,; have ; closed before Chrisfanas. As it is several clauses, which will probably. oc-. capy several hours' discussion, remain untouched. If the I'tlblic Works Statement is not to be brought down to-day, and Tuesday morning, is to..be/set 'apart for consideration of th£.Timber Commission's'report, and Wednesday; morning for local Bills and discussion' 1 oii the report of the Police Commission, it is difficult, to! see' how the Finance .and';other* Bills which tho Government wish to pat on the Statute Book this session are to bo passed in the days which precede Christmas Day. There ;are rumours to the; effect. that ; if ;■ the most urgent business is not transacted' by December 25, ,tho Government will ask tho House to adjourn oither until December 27 and try and finish by December. 30, or until after tho first- week of January for a fow days.' It 'is understood that ' ' members of tho Ministry conferred together yesterday with regard to the position of affairs. What transpired was not made public. ■ There will bo a Government : caucus before' the House resumes, its sittings at 10 o'clock this morning, i, V Apart from the question of the duration of the session, tho| result will bo awaited with Considerable interest, 1 as the .Government suffered another; defeat on a vote in connection with the Estimates on Saturday evening. In« torest'is further [heightened ill consequence .' of what took place at the.last caucus, when, it is reliably reported, tho Prime Minister, after referring to tho votes which had been carried against the Government, declared that he neither could nor would carry on. under tho conditions, which had prevailed, during the previous few weeks. . Speaking with considerable warmth, Sir Joseph (so it is stated) asked the party to. name, another member to act aa leader. In response came a vote of confidence, which was carried with, cheers.. From sevoral points of view,'tho position at present is extremely interesting. ■ • back After Christmas. The. last act. of> Saturday's'sitting in tho Houso was an unexpected one, and bears oa tho." suggestion tliat' Parliament may be. called upon. to ■ resume work after Christmas. 1 At two, minuteis to midnight, when the division on the Crown Suits Act had just been concluded, Mr. Massoy asked tho Prime Minister if he intended to move to report progress in' order. thatthe '.Speaker; mighttake ■ the. chair. The Prime-Minister said that ho did not intend to' do so. Mr, Massey: What do yon intend to do ? I Sir Joseph Ward: To 1 go on at\ ton o'clock i on..Monday morning.,-■ '. I Mr. Massey:: Yoir may find ' yourself in' a difficulty;... I refer; : yotrto Standing Order No. ;61.'i ! . i\ .-. Sir Joseph Ward: I know all about that. I merely wish to state to tho Houso that tho Pubho Works Statement. will not come down on : Monday. ]' Of course, ■■ that !is understood. : '. The Chairman;, then (at one minute .to ■ twelve) called upon the- ; Maori Land' Settlement Account estimates, and the vote was agreed to on the stroke of midnight'. , The Chairman (rising): 'According' to Standing Order No. M, I will, now leave the chair and resume it at ten o'clock on Monday morn;ing.: .j-V-i ; Mr. Harries: May I call your attention to the Standing Order? 1 Mr. Wilford (as.he left his seat): I cannot hear yon: It is after twelve o'clock. : • Mr. Massoy: This moans, coming back after .Christmas.' : . .; . . - ■:;. .'•[ ■' Sir Joseph Ward: Hear, hear. .