IN PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2221, 6 August 1914, Page 7

IN PARLIAMENT

. DAILY SUMMARY. Events inarched rapidly at Parliament Buildings yesterday, and .culminated in a iorraal announcement by His Excellency the Governor that Great Britain was at' war with Germany. Most of tbo business transacted in both Houses is fully reported in the columns devoted to news relating to the war. The great event of the day was the\ announcement of war, winch was made'in'the presence of some twelve thousand people, who cheered tho news with' fervour.; The House of Representatives met at th® ordinary time, and sat in the first instance for a quarter of an hour. Questions were raised regarding censorship, , food supply, and other matters, and the Prime Minister intimated 1 that if attempts were made to unduly raise the prices of foodstuffs tho Government would ask Parliament to take drastic action. He mentioned also that the Government was .considering a proposal to set up a' special board to deal with' the matter. The House rose at 2.45 p.m. for an hour, in order that members might hear the Governor's announcement. When .the sitting was resumed at 3.45 p.m., some formal business was transacted, and then the Prime Minister moved that tho Government be authorised to raise an expeditionary force. This proposal was unreservedly supported by the Leader of the OpjKisition, and the motion Was carried unanimously. i As it was private members' day in ordinary course the House would have pro-' seeded "to deal with Mr. Geo. Hunter's Gaming Amendment Bill, but in tie state qf excitement that- prevailed it was , obviously impossible to proceed with o'rdi-. nary business, and Mr. ' Hunter .agreed, that his Bill should stand over on the ' understanding that it should be placed at the head of the' Order Paper upon another day. • ■ The House rose at 4110 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-day. , > The Legislative Council yesterday put tho Banking Bill through ail its stages and passed it ritbout disoussion. The Council passed a similar motion to that carried by the House of Representatives with regard to the proposed expeditionary' force, and then adjourned till this afternoou. . ' —. - i . SESSION PROSPECTS. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Now- that uncertainty in regard to the European situation has given, place to. the certainty of war, it js expected that Parliament'will recover something more uoijrljE'approaching its'normal time than hasffieen possible for some days past. The Prime Minister told a reporter fast eventing that it was' intended to brine down '' tho .-Financial Statement to-day. Ho men--,tioned that it was a'very bulky document, considerably larger than that of last yew, Probably the Licensing Bill will cotae up for third, reading' .to-morrow. In .a state of war, liberal allowance must be made for. unexpected- dsvolopments, but the. present expectation. is that the essential items in the programme for tho session will b? proceeded with. Tho legislative Council will prooeed, ih. ordinary course, with the Reform Bill and other business.; There is no ..immediate prospect of a ' lengthy adjournment of Parliament. Power exists to iall tho, Houses .together at any time during non* sitting intervals, on the authority of the Governor, and in any sudden emergency tliis power will be made - use of. Tho Financial Debate will probably open on Tuesday text, The Railways Statement, including the report of the Genoral Manager of Railways upon the 'Dominion lines, is expected to make its appearance at the beginning of next week. THE BANK BILL. The Bank Bill, which passed!its final stages in the CounOil yestorday, was almost immediately afterwards signed by His Excellency the Governor, and at once became law. A Gazette Extraordinary was shortly . afterwards, published containing a proclamation enforcing its provisions.- ■