LOBBY GOSSIP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2207, 21 July 1914, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP

PROSPECT

THE I«)N-PARTY BILLS

v., ty% H P, use s of: Parliament are:likely M bo busily engaged this week. In'tho un^ 6 -?/ Representatives;, the" Licensing Bill Wi|l be,the .first bjg item"'of him, jaess to claipi;attention.-Tho second .;■•.vrea.(Jjng; debate;will: begin torday, but if -.-:■ a .is- not finished.at. the' , sitting 'will be interrupted until Friday, as .privatemembers', and local Bills clainv the jn, tervenmg days. v Thp. Legislative Coun- ■-. en WMlay is tQ-sot up sessional committees, and will afterwards proceed, to debate the Legislative Council Bill, which ...gives effcot^Q'tho■.-Government's, policy , of. making the Upper, House an elective. 'body.. , ...'.' '• ..-',■■•■' ."■ ..-'■'";■ "" : ."■"". • BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. ; • : ; Speculation js still rife as to the probable fate of the Referendum Bill.; The .'■ great ,bono;'of contention appears .to be 'the inclusion, in the proposed voting [ .paper of a.clause providing that clergy? 'icon.shall'be granted right of entry",to : rihe schools during sciippl hpiirsi. Judg? ing by. conversation in the lobbies, the * path 'of the: Bill , -would bo greatly :■-:smopthed;if -this proviso wgre ehminat- ; ed,, Indeed; one 'experienced member who; was spoken to .yesterday expressed the opinion that if right of gentry wire dropped the Bill would "go through'fly- ; ing. , ' There are undoubtedly members wliq are prepared to vote for ing in schijpjs jyhs;ere..a.b.solufely. :op T posed to. granting clergymen/.'the■ right: ■ ;of. entry, :'.;■ , : : .- - : ";;•"-. ■■■' ■.-.,- .■'.. .:•"■. i 'NO DEFENCE BILL.'; ~.. An expeutation has been expressed in : v eomp i|iat- legislation will bo ■.brought dpffn this, to grant fur-i : ther cpncessipns.,tp conscientious a,jid .re*. - /ligiops objectorV to compulsoryrnilitary ' training, out' it ; .is stfated.on good quV v - thority that the Government doe's not ■' intend to bring down any Defence legislation this, session; .'.: .-■. . ' •■..,:,.: '.'.;..'. THE I.Af|o B|LL. ■:• .The :Land.;Bill tiiis: year:.will. ! bo a. ;.. ffluch.legs, pratontjous measure than the, big policy Bills. wlijeli were passed. Iptsession and ii 1912; and. \y\\\ deal "priiir , cipajly wjtji nlinop deiaijs. It is at present untjprgpiug reyislpn, hut will npi; bo : finally apprpyeE untjl the report of thp : .'Tenures is now piirr . :.smng its jnyestiptionß'jn the, Auckland , district,*,has been "received and considered. Probably the Bill will preseritr: «'d to tlie jjpuse' fihou't'. three: ■ iyeeks , l 'y'; , v ;:' , ; ; ;:, ■,:•'" ". ;•' .•■'.'"■. UIOENSINC LAW. ' ;It is;esi)ected : tljat the. debatesupon the Licensing Bill,'which is to come'up for second reading in tlielJouse of Re- . presentaiives torday, wj|| be bflthlerig and' interesting.'.; ,As has been stated opinion in the lobbies favours the pro- j ; bability of the Bill being road a , even. 7 spm? ',pf .ij;p 'suppprte'rs •' adinit. that: this; is -.pot;, a' certainty; A f; number of .members .have' attempted .to ''prick a canJ/'-iii prfier to forecast .. the result of the division' on the'Bill, .■.''but all of thejji seeni to , Jiare'fpund it the pount owing ~to'the retjeenqe of spnie of their. fellow : .: regarding the side.on, lyhieli ; ./they: : intepd!' to. ypte.'i' One,, prominent . - politician', told reporter yesterday, that, lip be,lieve<J the'Bill its. second, reading, but ¥ou]d. be' nmended in •Committee so Laavtp.-.provide fpr> ,thp 'abolition of voting on the. local option issue,- : Th9se:>fay6i#jng.>tnis< course, ':ha Vetated, f prep^Ted'rtoP let'. the presont remain operative.; in . diatripts which have already carried No* :'i3&iowse^.;.,Thi;s.jif;. l^fl^.'in , -; Nfttional Prohibitioft pqll will be.rqduov ' ed tQ 55, per cent.'4nd th.q Local Option issue. wilf be elimipoted, while (t 60. per ■cent, , (majprjly will suffice to :• carry - re'sforijtipii.:: in> existing /..NoTLicenßO ; . ajeas,.. A-Clniittedly,-however, t]io whole i )'/position is. very anjl .some of, ' :':t]i9; besMnformcd .pqlitipiaois. 'in the, i.Hpus,e.:frankly:confess th'ejr walltfity to .fp'repast the fate' qf the Licensing Bill ! ... Vilib any confidenqe. ; Many stpries arc ■'/afloat'.to .the'effect'--'that, somo m.embers' , intend to absent' themselves from: tho ■ division fln the'Bill, and generally that '-..'the* division will produce surprises; ■'.■■■' It, is npt improbable that a clause ,may.: be added to the'Bill dealing with ; tho' importation' of' ■ Australian >. wine. ; Strong irepreseiitatjons; have been made : -,to.Ministers on'the subjectj and it;has. ■ "been urged, that the importation of this liijuorV.should ,be. absolutely'' prohibited.