POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1885, 20 October 1913, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

' NEWS & PROSPECTS. THE END OF THE SESSION. Towards the end of every session of Parliament, in New Zealand at all events, the Government of thq day and members are apt-to find themselves in possession of a programme of work out of all proportion to the time remaining at their disposal. Tho remedy usually applied is tho thinning-out process, known as "the slaughter of the innocents." Something of the kind is in prospect so far as tho present session is concerned, and iu addition much greater expedition in the transaction of business will havo to bo attained if tho session is to come to an end at all. If tho rate of progress for the sixteen weeks during which Parliament has already been sitting wero continued, tho session might easily last well into next year. Despite tho present plethoric Btate of the Order Paper of tho House of Representatives, tho opinion is held by members on both sides that the session is likely to conclude six weeks hence, at the ond of November. Obviously two things are necessary „ to make tho expectation reasonable—n much moro rapid- transaction of busi--1 noss and some l-cduction of the Government programme. When . he was questioned ill tho Houso last week tho Prime Minister declined to admit that ho contemplated jettisoning any Bills, but at the same time the Government is not committed to put through session every item of business now in sight. Tho Prime Minister has stated, however, that the Government will insist upon putting through ' its principal policy measures before the House rises, and Bills that must bo included in this category, together with tho Public Works Statement and Estimates (duo shortly), discussions upon the reports of one or two Roval Commissions, and that of the Public Service Commissioner, and' some other items, will provido the House with a volume of work that will'keep-it very busy indeed if it is to prorogue at the end of November. Any serious continuation of tho obstruction, in which the Opposition has freely indulged so far, would at once 6et the closing date further ahead, but members gonerally swm to hold the opinion that further obstruction will be avoided out of deference to the universal, desireto conclude tho Fe3sion within a reasonable tiniiv BILLS IN PROSPECT. The Government has still a long list of Bills to place beforo Parliament. Tho Land Bill, so far as tho House is concerned, is safely out of the way, but there ar© yet many important measures to bo brought forward. In addition to Bills already on the Order Paper tho following'measures, some of which are now before Committees, and some of which havo not yet been introduced, remain to bo dealt with Judicature, Defamation, Counties, Harbours, Hospitals, Bank of New Zealand, Education Reserves, Post and Telegraph, Stamp Duty, Government Railways, Death Duties, Distress Limitation, and others. Some of those measures'of course are not of any great importance, tho object being mainly the remedying-of de--fects in existing Acts, but others enum'crated are of great importance. In addition' there is the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill, and the Shops and Offices Bill, both of which aro before tho Labour Bills Committee. Then there is tho Native Land Bill, which is_ now before tho Native Affairs Committee, and a further Bill dealing with tho rating of Native lands and other lands has been promised. Both of these m'easures rfill give rise to considerable discussion. A' big general Washing-up Bill dealing with a variety of subjects and I consisting probably , of about a hundred ' clauses has also yet to make its appearance. Some of tho now Bills will be introduced during the coming week. Other Bills which have been promised or suggested include proposals relating to a readjustment of the tariff, a change in the electoral law, and a Bill dealing with the licensing law. A largo number of local Bills havo also yet to bo dealt with. Altogether, thero is sufficient business to keep Parliament going till the New Year, and somo resort te tho usual weeding-out process 6eems in? evitable. LABOUR BILLS. Some announcement from the Government in regard to the important Labour Bills now before Parliament is looked for at an early date. Tho two most important measures in this category are a Shops and Offices Bill, making provision, amongst othor tbin'gß, for a sixday week, and ah amending Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, which consolidates existing enactments on the subject, and in addition amends tho law relating to strikes by providing that tho parties concerned must meet in conference before a strike or lock-out, as tho case may be, is declared. The Shops and Offices Bill haß been before the Labour Bills Committeo for just on three months, and is not yet disposed of. For ten weeks the commtttco sat on two days a week to take evidence on the Bill. It is now engaged in considering the clauses of the measure so that before long some finality should bo reached in -regard to it. Meantime the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill awaits attention. It will go beforo' tho Labour Bills Committeo when that body has concluded its consideration of the Shops and Offices Bill. In addition to the two big Labour Bills thero is a Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, which also will have to go before the Labour Bills Committee. TJnder the circumstances, ft _ is difficult to see how all three Labour Bills can bo finally dealt with by Parliament this session, but so far It has not been possible to extract a Ministerial statement on .tho subject. It is stated on good authority that no attempt has been mado to delay tho Shops and Offices Bill before the committee, but that it has been found necessary 'a very largo amount of gonuino evidence. The committee, it is thought, will be able to deal expeditiously with tho other two Bills. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Tho Minister of Public Works (the Hon.. W. Frasor) informod a reporter-, last evening that he was not yet in a position to say definitely when tho Public Works Statement and Estimates would be presented to Parliament. They will not bo brought down in any caso until tho work of tho session is further advanced, but may bo looked for two or three weeks henco. I " THE TRAMWAYS BILL. Whon tho Tramways Amendment Bill (providing for tho conversion of all sidestop tramcars to central passage .type, by March 1, 1914) was introduced in Parliament last week, there seemed a prospect of its being pushed rapidly through all its stages without tho Wellington City Council and other local bodies interested being given a chance to offer evidenc® regarding the proposal which it embodies. It is now considered probable that a proposal to rsfer tho Bill to a eoimnittco for a day or two will most likely meet with enough support to secure its adoption. Thero" is no doubt that tho proposal to abolish the side-step with as little delay as possible wjll be supported by members of all parties, and practically the only detail about which auv difference of opinion obtains is that of tho timo to bo allowed for altering the cars which are at present fitted with side-steps. NAVAL POLICY. A Ministerial statement on the sub. . iect of naval colic?, will ia all probabil v .

ity bo made in tlio House of Representatives this week. Strict reticence is being maintained meantime as to what the naturo of the statement will be, bnt ono or two facts which liavo long since been made known are worth bearing in mind at this juncture. In the latter part of 1909 an agreement was concluded between tlio Imperial and Now - Zealand Governments, under which a squadron consisting of two Bristol f cruisers and a small flotilla o( torpedo--1 boat destroyers and submarines was to 1 be established, - with its headquarters j in the Dominion. Tlio 1909 agreement t lias not been carried out, but neither has it ever been formally revoked. The Prime Minister lias recently paid ill tho House that ,i statement on the subject of naval policy has been delayed owing to the fact that correspondence was in progress between the Imperial Government and tho New Zealand Government. It is quite reasonable to suppose that, whatever the details of the arrangement may bo, a small naval squadron will be established in New Zealand waters. THE BANKINC BILL. Tho Bank of Now Zealand Bill is still before tlio Public Accounts Committee, and it is not definitely' known when it will bo.reported, but it is unlikely to make its appearance in the House again this week. The committee will next meet to consider the Bill on Thursday. AN AUCKLAND MEASURE. The Auckland AVcekly Half-Holiday Bill (providing for a fresh poll over the whole of tho enlarged combined area of the city and suburbs on the Saturday ! half-hoiiday question) will probably be [ A'flportorl back to the House by tue Local Bills Committee to-morrow. _It is expected that the committee will recom- | mend that tho Bill be allowed to proceed. ' THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. : Negotiations are still in progress be- ! tween the Government and the Union Steam Ship Company regarding the renewal of the contract providing for a subsidised steamsliip service between New Zealand' and San Francisco. It is expected' that the contract will be . renewed under improved conditions, so far as shipping arrangements are concerned. LOCAL BILLS TO-NIGHT. To-night the House of Keprosentatives will meet at' 7.30, to deal with local Bills. Mr. Hunter's Gaming Amendment Bill, which is to be dealt with at a Monday sitting, will probably not come up until November 3.