POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 172, 10 April 1918, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY TO-DAY TASKS OF THE SESSION The House is to meet at 2.30 this '(afternoon, but the chances are Lhat the ■debate on the Address-in-Rcply motion will not begin until 7.30. The pro- , /poser will be Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North) and the. 6econder Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South). It is understood that both speeches will be short, and that there is a good' possibility of the. debate being one of the shortest on. record. THE FINANCE BILL. After tbe debate on the Address-in-'lßeply the business-will be the Finance ..jßill, the main purpose of which will ■be to give the Government Supply un;til Parliament can bo summoned again. Provision will be made in the Bill also for a loan to cover the period between tlio ordinary meeting timo for Parliament and the time for the next business session. It is not safe to estimate the amount of loan authority to 'be asked for because tho period to be covered is unknown yet. But the loan money for tho whole of next year must "be considerably over thirty millions sterling, probably KometiiinE; like thirty-five.millions. Sir Joseph Ward will htvre his opportunity to tell the House something about the finances of the country when ho moves the introduction of the Bill. THE MORE-MEN QUESTION. [ No announcement has yet heen •,. *made about the increase of New Zealand's effort in regard to the supply •of men to help the Empire in the great fight. Certain arrangements for i accelerating the departure of men are ■ novi going on, and these will certainly ;not be vetoed. The point that does ! not appear fo_ have been settled is as ' to the formation of a new force from ' accumulated reinforcements in England : and . France. It seems to be almost ': certain that something of the sort will ; lie dono, but it is difficult to see how : "the House can bo told all about it. ! Caucuses' of both parties are to he . held to-day, and possibly arrango--1 ments may be made for tho holding of a joint caucus at which such delicate matters may ho discussed with more freedom than in the House. THE ELECTIONS. One of the difficult questions facing : the Government is that of postponement of the general election. If nothing is done by Parliament a general election must bo held this year. Possibly an agreement may be reached this session as to what is to be done, and that? agreement may bo that if there is to be legislation jt shall bo postponed until next session. DOMINION'S WATER POWER. In terras, of his election speeches Mr. Luke yesterday took an early opportunity of asking tho Minister of Public , Works what tlie Government intends to do about yolking up the water power of the Dominion. Ho gave no'tice to ask the Minister what the Government proposals are with regard to Ihydro-electric schemes for the North island, and also for those parts of the . South Island which cannot be served hy the Lake Coleridge power. THE FOURTH BRIGADE. Last session Mr. H. J. H. Okey asked one or two questions about the Fourth Brigade, which indicated that he was not in favour of its formation. Ho gave notice again yesterday i to ask the Minister of Defence whether 'the force was still in existence, or . 'whether the men composing it had been •used for reinforcements—"the purpose for which they were intended." The question should be answered next week unless it should crop up in another shape earlier. WORK FOR SOLDIERS. Mr. W. H. Field has given notice to ask the Defence Minister whether 3ie will take steps to see that returned invalided soldiers not fit to return to their former occupations are given employment in the Defence Department or in other Government Departments in preference to civilians. ,