THE SESSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 22, 21 October 1918, Page 4

THE SESSION

PARLIAMENT MEETS ON THURSDAY. A' session of Parliament, the second in the present year, will be opened en Thursday next. The House of Representatives will meet for the first time in the new chamber, which with some of the surrounding rooms and lobbies is being made ready for the reception of members. _ It is _ generally expected l that the session will last about eight weeks, and close just, before Christmas. But an extension into tho Now Year is not a very improbable matter. There ie a conciderable amount of work to bo done, and the result, of recent by-elections may stimulate criticism of the National Government. Experienced politicians are inclined to expect this result. It appears that the big feature of the session, apart from what may arise in • connection with the war, is going to be the 'consideration of the Prohibition issue, as raised by the National Efficiency Board. There are indications that the Government is likely to sek the House to grant the referendum recommended by the board, on the question of immediate Prohibition with compensation for the Trade. Certain matters connected with finance and the soldiers will receive attention. Questions of Imperial importance will arise from the reports to be made by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance regarding their recent visit to London, but legislation on these questions may be deferred. The general legislative programme of the session is not yet in its final form. Several of tho Ministers have Bills containing important proposals, but Cabinet has to decide how far, if &i ell. the ban against "contentious" and "party" legislation can be lifted. Tho report of the Defence Commission is one of the official papers that will come before members during the session. It is expected to give rise to considerable debate. .