THE SESSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 267, 7 August 1919, Page 4

THE SESSION

TO OPEN ON AUGUST 28. The Minister of Internal Affaire (Hon. G. W. Jtusiull) informed n Dominion reporter yesterday that-Parliament would meet for the dispatch of .business on August 25. The course of business during the session is uncertain, and will remain so until the altitude of. parties and the intentions of the National Government have been defined. - Ministere and Departments have a considerable amount of draft legislation in hand, sufficient to occupy Parliament for several months under normal conditions. Some of tho Bills are urgent and will havo to he handled by the Legislatuie before the general election. Other Bills can wait, though, it is admitted that some of them have r.lready waited too long.

It is expected that meetings of Reform members and Liberal members will lie held in Wellington before tho opening of the session, and that the two party leaders, Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, ■will consult their Parliamentary supporters before making any move that will involve important political consequences. Nothing definite will be known until the leaders have had time to consult their fciiow-Ministm's and study the position for themselves.

MR. MASSEY AND THE LENGTH OF" THE SESSION. By TeleeraD'a.—Press Anoclation. Auckland, August 8. Referring to the coming session to-dav the Prime Minister stated that he thought the session would last about two months. If this estimates proves correct, it will mean that an active election campaign will probably open at the beginning of November. Though no indication lias yet been given of what legislation may be brought down, it is generally accepted that a lengthy debate will take place on the Address-in-Reply to the Governor-General's Speech.