POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 24326, 15 October 1942, Page 5

POLITICAL POINTS

SAFEGUARDING THE SMALL TRADER WOMEN JUROR’S RILL (Special.) WELLINGTON, October 15. Transport difficulties will be responsible for the speeding up of the pace of parliamentary proceedings as the week-end adjournments when members can return to their constituencies are not easily possible. With this in mind, the Prime Minister told the House that he would consult members about the possibility of sitting not only on Fridays, but on part of Saturdays, because it would be better tg make the session as short as possible, instead of adjourning; for week-ends. . This would also mean-sitting on Mondays. How long will the session last? The Prime Minister suggested it would take a fortnight if the House sat right through. He thought the most appropriate time for the secret sitting would be at tho end of the session.

“ I cm hoping to be able to discuss the man power problem in open House as far a* possible,” stated the Prime Minister in the House yesterday after notice, of a question on the subject by Mr Lee in conjunction with the member-for Napier. The notice was os follows:—Whether the Prime Minister will forecast the man power .requirements for 1942, 1943, and 1944 for all the services, and give Parliament an opportunity of considering the proposals in advance, so that members may have a voice in shaping rather than in ratifying policy. (2) Whether prior to the industrial mobilisation of men of the 51 to 59 class, the Prime Minister will make a statement as to the Government policy in relationship to retail trades; setting out the measure of protection to’ be given to small traders and the methods of recompensing owners of one; man businesses who may be industrially conscripted, and the methods of safeguarding their trading rights on demobilisation. ‘ “ The whole thing is in hand,” stated the Prime Minister in . the House when replying to • a question dealing with the exchange of Japanese prisoners of, war - for New Zealand nationals captured by the Japanese in Malaya and elsewhere. The. question was asked by Mr Leo on behalf of the member for Napier. Mr Lee said there was more than one case where a wife escaped to New Zealand, but the husband was taken prisoner by the Japanese. ' Mr Fraser said that steps had been taken in the direction suggested, and were being pushed on as rapidly as possible. There had been certain exchanges already. Provision for women between the ages of 25 and 60 serving as jurors should they so desire is contained in the Women Jurors (No. 2) Bill, introduced into the House and read a first time. The Attorney-General (Mr Mason) said that the measure was iden. tical with one previously, introduced by Mr» Dreaver (Government member) 1 and declared out of order, to enable a woman to serve as juror. The Bill specifies that ehe must possess the necessary qualifications and must notify the sheriff in writing that she wishes to serve as a juror. It is the duty of the sheriff to supply to the superintendent of police of the district concerned a list of women who wish to serve, and if he is satisfied such names may be added to the jury list.