POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1534, 2 September 1912, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

MOVEMENTS OF MINISTERS, A busy working week in Parliament -was followed by a quiet week-end. Cabinet held a brief sitting on Saturday, but the business transacted was luostl'y Departmental.

'J lie Hon. IV. JI. Herrics (Minister for Railways) left on Saturday for Nelson. To-day lie is (o open the Glenhopo extension railway and he will return to town by the Hinemon (his evening in company witli the Parliamentary party which went to Xelson by that steamer on Fridav night. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher paid a flying visit to Christehurch during the weekend. lie went south on Friday night and returned yesterday, morning.

THE SESSION. Varying opinions have been expressed in the lobbies lately as to the probable duration of the session, but tlio prevailing opinion in the best-informed circles still is that it will end about the middle of October.

LAND AND OTHER BILLS. A number of important Bills will be brought down this week and next week. The" Land Bill is still in the hands of the draftsman hut" will bo 'brought down within the fortnight. It is intended to refer it to the Lands Committee as soon as it has .been introduced. The Arbitration Bill will be brought down this week and referred to the Lalxmr Bills Committee. Other measures to be introduced this week are the Valuation Bill and an Invalids' Tension Bill, designed to assist those unfortunates who have been permanently incapacitated for work either by accident or by reason of being invalids and are not in receipt of tile old age and widows' pensions. An amendment to the Land Settlement' Finance Act—a consolidatory measure—is being nrepnred, and will be introduced after t'he Land pill. Most of these Bills Will make their first nppeaTance in the Lower .House, but the Bill to confer pensions on invalids is to be introduced in the Legislative Council.

THE HUTT ROAD. 'No further step towards apportioning the cost of the Hutt Road improvements ?monff the various local bodies concerned is likely to be made until after the present session -of Parliament has terminated. Mr. \\. S. Short (Assistant-Under-Secretary for Public Works) was appointed some time ago to make the apportionment. All. particulars as to the cost ot the road and railway works will be placed at his disposal and he will hear representations by the different local bodies prior to determining the amount for which each shall become liable.

REPORTS OF COMMISSIONS. The report of the Public Service Commission will probably be presented to ParJiaDient to-morrow. It will not, it is stated, be neccssary to put aside ,a special day for the discussion of this report, as the subjects with which it deals will come under review when, tho Public Service Bill is debated. The Prime Minister stated ou Saturday evening that the Government' .would not object to set-ting aside nn afternoon for the discussion of the Cost of Living Commission's report, and another for a discussion on the report of the Edueatijm Commission, if members so desired. This covl 111 only be done, however, he added after the Estimates had been dealt with.

UPPER HOUSE REFORM. The ultimate fate of the Legislative Council .Elections Bill is a. subject of' in'terested■ speculation in the .Parliamentary lobbies. A few. members profess to regard the action of the Council in allowing the Bill to pass its second reading as of'slight importance, but tho majority view seems to ba that in affirming the. principle of the measure the Council has taken a step towards radical reform of its own constitution which can never be retraced. . At the same time it is considered not improbable that the Bill may bo held, up henceforth, so i'ar as the present session, is concerned. The task of putting' the Bill through all its stages in both Houses is a big one, and it is quite likely that the Government limy be content to defer

it for twelve .months. There is reason to lielieve that although some departure from the features of the present Bill in regard to sizo of electorates and other derails may bs acquiesced in, tho Government will adhere steadfastly to the provisions which aim at making the Legislative Council a purely elective -body. Some politicians bsliovo that this will lead to conflict between the two Houses of Parliament, but against this it is submitted that simultaneous election of their members would lessen the chance of conflict between the two Houses. In addition to this, the powers of the T'pper House are limited under the constitution, and tho present restrictions would remain in unabated force though the Council wero made elective.