PARLIAMENT'S WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 145, 23 June 1930, Page 10

PARLIAMENT'S WORK

TO START ON THURSDAY

ATTITUDE OF THE HOUSE

The imminence of the meeting Of Parliament is botokened to-day by the posting of additional staffs at Parliament House. Members will probably commence to arrive to-morrow and on Wednesday, and as Thursday has been fixed for the opening of tho session, boats and trains reaching Wellington on that morning will probably bring in the great majority of those concerned with the working .of the legislative engine. The Speaker of tho House of Representatives (Sir Charles Statham) and family have taken up their residence iv Parliament House, and the Leader of the Opposition (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coatos) has settled down in his sessional office quarters in the library wing, having arrived at the week-end. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. B. Holland) will arrive on Wednesday morning. Ministers of the Crown, of course, spend tho greater part of their time in the recess at their headquarters in Parliament House, but the majority have been absent from Wellington for tho last few daj'S, taking advantage of the final week-end before tho session to. visit their homes. By to-morrow several will have: returned, and on Wednesday Cabinet will probably resume sittings. - HASTENING TEE WORK. At this eaiiy stage it is impossible to forecast how the House of Representatives will regard the request which it is assumed the Prime Minister will make at the earliest opportunity for, tho work of tho session to be expedited to permit the Government's main legislative programme to be dealt with expeditiously, thus enabling Air. Forbes to leave New Zealand towards the end of September for tho Imperial Conference. It is assumed in some quarter's that1 tho Reform Party will assure the Prime Minister of its willingness to accede to t the Government's plans in that respect, but that will depend on the attitudo of tho majority of the rank and file of tho party. Mr. Coates was disinclined to discuss sessional .prospects when ho was 'approached- this morning. Tho customary preliminary caucuses will take place probably on Thursday or Friday, and the important question of representation of the Dominion at the Imperial Conference, or at all events of the majority of members in tho House acquiescing in any suggestion that the legislative programme be helped alone; with a view to enabling the Prime Minister to leave for England, will probably rest with the attitude flic Reform Party chooses to. adopt. FIRST IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. It is probable that there will be a! long sitting of the House on Friday night, as it will bo necessary for the first Imprest Supply Bill,' voting finance to Govtrnment. Departments, to bo passed before tho close of the present month. In view of the custom of devoting,the second day of the session solely to mourning the loss'of members! or ex-members who hayc died in tho recess, tho Imprest Bill may bo deferred until the Saturday, but it is more likely that as an alternative course tributes will be paid to departed legislators on tho following Tuesday, enabling the Imprest1 Bill to be taken on Friday. Several important topics arc sure to obtrude themselves into the debate on 'tho Bill. Labour members may have a lot to say about the recent trouble at the Arapuni hydro-electric works, aijd perhaps they will ■ take further oppor-' tunity of keeping bcforo-the; notice of the Government, the seriousness of unemployment." A long.sitting seems to be in prospect before the Bill is sent on its way to the Legislative Council for approval. . -