POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2795, 13 June 1916, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES

EVENTS IN NEAR VIEW

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Cabinet was engaged for the wliqlb of yesterday j>ftej;iioon dealing with certain proposals in the Financial Statement. It is understood that the Statement will be further considered at a meeting to be held this morning, and that the Statement will be presented to Parliament in the near future, possibly during the present week. To-day the House will go on with the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Bill, the only Government Bill on tho order paper, and some other Bills will be introduced. EARLY CLOSING? DISCUSSION OF POSSIBILITIES. TJIO result of the early closing referendum in New South Wales has been the subject of some discussion among mem.bers, and no doubt it has Deen mentioned also at the Cabinet table. The general question will come before the House presently, when the Petitions Committee reports on a batch of petitions already presented, asking that hotel bars be closed at six o'clock during the currency of the present war. The report of Committees dealing with such petitions in ,the past has usually been simply this: "That as a question of policy is involved, the Committee has no recommendation to make." However, the National Government has no policy but the winning of the war, and in such circumstances the Committee. may in this case depart from woll-established precedent. In any case, tho whole question comes before the House for discussion when the report comes down, and members may be expected to speak on it. It is understood that the Government will take power undor the War Regulations Amendment Bill, to be brought down this session- to limit the hours for the sale of liquor, at any, rate in localities where some such action would seem to bo justified by some military necessity. It is not well understood that the Government intends at once to exercise this power. The Defence Minister was once fearful of the eifect of closing bars early while the illegal sale of liquor went on in other haunts where some men may, and unfortunately do, come by worse harm than mere-inebriety. It is understood, however, that Mr. Allen has modified his views somewhat, having been advised that a diminution of drunkenness among the soldiers will materially diminish the other scourge. It is practically certain that "shouting" will be absolutely banned at once. Possibly, later, the Government may close the hotels earlier, but the chances are in favour of eight o'clock rather than of six o'clock closing: LOANS AND TAXES. A BIG BILL TO PAY. A million a month is tho rate of New Zealand's war expenditure for the year now in progress. Of, course we must have a big loan from somewhere, and the Government has already been urged to get somo of the money, say, five millions or so, on the New Zealand market. It is not at all unlikely that 6ome such proposal may be made to the House. In addition to the increasing war pensions charge, there is tho big bill for interest and sinking fund on colossal borrowings to be met ont of revenue, and to meet tli-ese permanent charges more revenue must be obtained. The Prime Minister has replied often in tho House to clamorous demands for more taxation of war profits, "Wait till you see' the Government's financial proposals," and lie has snid it in a tone expressive of confidence that oven tho . advocates of tlie most ruthless taxation—short of robbery—of war profits will be satisfied with the Government proposals. ' Equally; his remark may be interpreted as having soma bearing on a proposal to corral some of the surplus funds by way of loan. One thing only jg certain about the Budget, that in it Sir Joseph Ward will have very satisfactory information to give to the House about the position of tlie conntry's finances.