POLITICAL NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 306, 22 September 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

.THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT / .HEAVY WEEKS AHEAD / SOLDIERS'GRATUITIES Tho _ Finincal Statement is to come down in the House to-morrow night, it tynot usual to begin tho debato on tho . statement for a few, days after the pre--1 sentation of the Budget, and it is very improbable that tho debate will be open- , ed beforo Friday at the earliest. It may not be opened until next week. On Wednesday or Thursday the, discussion on the gratuities question will bo taken. WORKING AGAINST TIME. The Leader of tho House has every reason to bo satisfied with the progress th<tt lie has been ablo to make with lua business to date, but ho haa a very, big prOgrame to fulfil, and thero never has been another session when the Prime Minister lias been so pressed for tune as Mr. Massey is pressed now. Much of tho legislation is of urgent importance, and all of it should be passed if possible; unless it is donu in tho next five weeks it cannot be done at all. There ' are probably lew mepMrs in the House ■who wish to impede business, but it 13 1 not the special concern 'of"any but tho ' members of the Government Party to • held to 'push business, and the, others are tempted to make such use of Han- ' sard'as the rules of the Hotifje allow.; This stakes time. A small • number ofmembers have consistently talke/l on spy and every occasion, and , such tactics from- even a very small number of nien . make speedy transaction of • business • Impossible. iNext week Mr. Alassey. intends to ask tho House to sit on Alon days; for Government basiness, although, as he lias announce;!, the first' Monday will 'bo given to private members. Be- / fore very much longer ; thc ■■announce-ment-may- be 1 expeoted from Mr. Speaker suspending the Standing Order that irnew . business may be taken after 12.30. Possibly we shall hear again,,the old expression "Legislation, by exhaustion, • but unless the House sits into late hours for the' remainder of this session it will not be possible for Mr. Massey to gut through his ■ programme, bv any reason able part of it., An extension of tho session on ISe eve of the election wtll not be possible. ■ • , THE GRATUITIES SCHEME. It is not at all likely-chat. the gratuities scheme will be altered in any important particular as the result of the j discussion uponi- it In the House this ' ■week. The general opinion among members is that the Scheme a3 proposed is just. Some go so lar as to say that it is generous. This means that there will bo, no irresistible demand fur the amendment of it in any of' the main particulars; But there arfl numberless points on whioh members tuay' ialj£, and some on -which tney may with some Show of reason make suggestions for amendment. On a straight-out division for or against the 1 scale, the; Government would .con.: ■Eland a safo tnfijority in the House. . There is some misunderstanding among members as. well'as among, the soldiers themselves about tho scheme of paying ilte money into the accounts of the. Post Office Savings Bank on account of the eoldiers. It will be open to any soldier to draw at once the full iamonnt of his credit, and to,do what he lilies with it. It will not bo held and given to him in doles or anything of the sort. What is hoped is that most of, tht f men will leave the mono]' on deposit, using only such of it as they require for immediate needs. 'One advantage ol the-scheme is that it will greatly facilitate payment of the gratuities. Ab a matter of fact there will be no delay at all. So-soon as the scale is approved, and the regulations for payment gazetted, the Government will be ready to make the payments through the Post Office, and men who want the money. will be able to get it