PARLIAMENT'S WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1572, 16 October 1912, Page 7

PARLIAMENT'S WORK.

PROGRAMME REVIEWED.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER,

OPPOSITION COMMENTS,

THE BILLS TO BE PUT THROUGH,

Keeping .1 promise made Inst week, (ha Prima Minister informed tho House of Representatives yesterday what Hills tho Government intends' to put through bofore tho prorogation of .Parliament.

fell' Joseph Ward asked when it was proposed that Parliament should prorogue ,iMr. Massey: With reasonable discussion, probably in about ten days, with unreasonable discussion probribiy about 1! K.,, i' s \ . on to enumerate tho Hills which aro to bo put through, liaininjf first Iho Pharmacy Amendment TV * '1)® Loent Authorities Superannuation Bill, Justices' of tho l'eaco Amendment Hijl, M ldows' Pensions Amendment Hionias Georgo Macartliy Trust 1 , lhcso Hills, Mr. Massey remarked, were practically finished, and tho whole hvo should not tako more than hi teen minutes to put through. He went 011 to linino the Public Revenues Amend-li'-M r, •' , t c Servico Classification Hill, Savings Hank Amendment Hill, Aged and Infirm Persons Protection Hill, Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Hill, Defence Amendment Bill, Cemeteries Amendment Hill. Cook Island Government Amendment Hill, Marriage Amendment Hill, Harmaids Registration JJIII Mr. Glover: Oh, leave that alone! Mr. Massey said that lie could not agree with the lion, gentleman. He named next tho Land Agents' Registram? 11 IUU ' '■' l 0 il itarv Pensions Bill. Ilio second reading debate 011 the Land n 5 Amendmciit Hill would bo taken on the following day. Another Bill that ivat before a committeo was tho Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation. As to the Plumbers' Registration Hill, he would have liked very much to go 011 with it, ; bccause i:ho plumbers had undoubtedly a grievance in tho matter of registration. But the Bill was one upon which evidence would have to be taken, and he was doubtful whether the Government coijld deal with it this session. There , would be an amendment to tho Arbitration and Conciliation Act. lie had had an important Hill drafted at Ihe beginning of the session, but owing to circumstances that had arisen, lie hud thought it inadvisable to go on ivith it. Some amendments to the existing law were necessary, however, and they would be embodied in a short Bill to be introduced this session. Washing Up. ' ' ' Then there would also lie a "Washing* up Hill." Sir Joseph Ward: What! Already! Mr. Jfassey: Yes, the washing-up is necessary owing to the actions of the lata Government. (Laughter.) There would bo introduced, he continued, a Railways Authorisation Bill. Sir Joseph Ward: Are there any new lines amongst them? Mr. Massey: Yes. ' Mr. Witty: Wniuku? (Laughter.) Mr, Massey said there were a few small lines under consideration, but which would be authorised had not. yet been decided. It would l)o tieciy-sary also to authorise lengths of long lines. Alid, of course, there would Ijo a Loan Bill, which hod been forecasted in the Budget. The Public Works Statement would ba delivered on Friday evening next. Other Bills to be put through were tlifi Native Affairs Bill and a small railway Mill.to givo effect to. tho promise of th'a Minister for Railways to give increases of salary to tho men in both divisions. If nedossnry tho salary of the new general manager of railways would be provided for in the Railway Hill. He would not say' that llicso were all (he Bills to bo dealt with, but they were practically all. Answering questions, Mr. Massey said that the Local Body Loans Bill -would bo on with. He was afraid that they would not have time that session to deal with the Counties'-Amendment Bill. He did not think it necessary 'to proceed with tlu Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill this session. Apart from the Bills 110 hnd named, a few others might bo introduced. Taking the Bills as a whole there should bo no difficulty in finishing them before (lieend of the present month. Tito Land Bill nnght take a day nr.,even two days, but others could be dealt with Very quickly.

•Mr. Russell nskod what Bills the Primi Minister proposed to drop.

No Slaunliter, of Innocents,

Mr. Massey said that there would bk no slaughter of the innocents so for'as tho Government was concerned. Ho had indicated, when dealing with other Bills four or five* that would bo dronned for this session.

11l reply to Mr. Buchanan Mr. Massey said that, legislation would bo introduced this session to provido country settlers with moans of telephone communication. Mr. Witty thanked tho Government for taking up his I,and Agents' Bill. Mooting.a suggestion by Mr. Bussell, Mr. Massey said Unit lie would be well pleased it the House elected to sit for three hours 011 Saturdays, but that ha. would not seek to force the House to do so.

In reply to Mr. Voitcli, Mr. Massey statod that a llill giving hotel workers a stxilny week was in print', but a number of people had intimated that they desired to give evidence upon it. This miglit delay the Bill.

Mr. Russell said dipt (lie Prime Minis, rer must bo possessed of n grout optimism if he expected to set. through this huge amount of work before the end of the 5v» 1011 ' . wcrc thirteen promised Bills, ivnich did not yet appear on tho Order Paper. The Legislative Council, too, was so loaded up with work as to threaten its efficiency, He recommended the Prime Minister to eliminate as many legislative proposals as possible from Ill's list, rather ihnn do bad and hasty work. Mr. L. it. ISITT begeed the Prime Minister not to make the House work on Sat. urdays. Mr. Massey said that up to the present he had avoided late hours, and had not asked Mr. Speaker to suspend the rills against taking new business after o.3ft a.m. He did not propose to ask for Uio suspension of this rule if lie could possibly avoid it. 1 A Rush Predicted. Sir ,T. Ward predicted that the IIoti?a would not get through tho programme outlined by tho Prime Minister without late hours, and a considerable amount of rush. It would bo far better to have a, slaughter of tho innocents. If tho lions© proposed to sit on Saturdays, he would stay away, niul so there would be 0110 absent. 110 would stay awn.v in tho interests.of his constituents. The member for Awarna. added that he was anxious to see the Prime Minister and the Minister, for Finance take an afternoon oft on Saturday. Mr. Allen: I have not had a Saturday! off yet. Sir .Tosepli Ward: That is a mistake. He stated that if "ho had to go through it. again," lie would take Saturdays off., He bepged the Prime Minister to cut down bis colossal programme. No one expected impossibilities, and no one would find fault if they were not done.