EARLY SESSION

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 10

EARLY SESSION

OPENS NEXT WEEK

STRONG OPPOSITION

LABOUR'S CAMPAIGN

Estimates of the length of (lie emergency sosaioii of Parliament, which is To open on "Wednesday week, vary considerably, but by thosn of long experience the opinion is held that it will take ill least six weeks to put the Government's programme through. Much, of course, will depend on the nature of the opposition that is forthcoming, and in this connection Labour members make 'no secret of that the fact that they are determined to use every opportunity of preventing the measures dealing with reduced wages from going on the Statute Book. The Hat Tate cut of 10 per cent, in ihe salaries of servants oi: thu Slate will bo strenuously opposed from the Labour benches, and it is stated that m their fight they will have the support of one or two members of the other parties, for past debates in the House ha.ye revealed the) existence of a strong bond of sympathy for the Civil servants, especially those on the lower scale of wa°-cs One member of the United Party has stated quite freely that ho is ■ opposed to any wage reductions at the present time, and it is possible that others, if they do not actually . yote \ aeainst the Government, will be critical. Some of the United members represent ■working-class constituencies, and at the last election had very small majorities over Labour candidates. Considerable interest attaches to the form in which the Government will introduce its legislation to give the Arbi--1 ration Court power to revise- existing awards. If a straight-out amendment of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act is proposed, the- whole Act will be thrown open for discussion, and that would naturally play into the hands of those wishing to oppose the Government's policy, as countless amendments could be moved to the mam Act. There is a suggestion, however, that the Government might take other step/to bring about the necessary amimdment. Another Bill that will be opposed will be that providing for the depohticahsntion of the railways. The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland) in a recent statement made it plain thnt Labour %vould not suppc.t the Government's plan. . In addition to its fight in the House, the Labour Party intends to carry out a vigorous campaign in the country. Mr. Holland has already-arranged to address a.mcteing in "Wellington on the evening of. the day on which Parliament opens/and similar meetings will probably be held in other centres. The Alliance of Labour is also calling a big conference in' Wellington on 10th March, and this conference will no doubt make further representations to the Government. Taken all in all, the coming session promises to be one of the most interesting of recent years. Some lengthy sittings are in prospect, as it is hardly ."likely that the Government will conform to the Standing Orders. Previously when cuts were made'in the salaries of Civil servants, the Labour Party could only muster eight members, but they can count on a strength of twenty to-day, so that their opposition during the coming session is likely to be even more effective than it was in 1922, when the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act took several days to go through the House. The Address-in-Beply debate will also provide opponents of the Government with an opportunity of statin? their case, and it is expected that the debate will last for at least a week. It is practically certain that an amendment to the Address-in-Reply will be moved from the Labour benches, in order to get an early decision from the House on the Government's proposals. Preparations for the session are already being made at Parliament House, which has assumed an appearance^ of activity not iisually seen at this time of the year. A number of extra messengers have already been taken on, and others will commence their duties next Monday. The Speaker of the House of Representatives (tlie Hon. Sir Charles Statham) is expected to take up his residence at Parliament House next weekend.1