PENDING LEGISLATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20055, 29 September 1939, Page 4

PENDING LEGISLATION

HEAVY PROGRAMME • CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES MR. FRASER’S OUTLINE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. An outline of the Government’s legislative programme for the remainder of the session was given by the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Eraser, when the House of Representatives met yesterday afternoon. He indicated that besides four Government bills on the order paper, the Customs Act Amendment Bill, the Statutes Amendment Bill, the Rural Housing Bill and the Pharmacy Bill, there were also four measures before select committees which should shortly be reported back to the House. These were the Land Laws Amendment Bill, the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, the Fair Rents Amendment Bill and the Legal Aid Bill. There were also six additional measures which were still to be introduced. Some would be brought down that day, he said, some to-day, and some perhaps on Tuesday. These six measures were the Social Security Amendment Bill, which he did not consider would take up much of the time of the House, the Visiting Forces Bill, which was more or less of a technical nature, providing for any forces of another Dominion, etc., which might visit our shores; Land arid Income Tax Amendment Bill, which might require considerable attention; Primary Products Marketing Bill, which might also warrant considerable' attention; Reserve Bank Bill, which might be considered controversial, and Finance Bill No. 2, which was just an ordinary finance bill and might go through easily or not, as the case might be. Mr. Fraser added that when he had previously made a statement in the House he had indicated quite plainly that some measures which the Government might introduce may be controversial, and it was as well to face up to the fact. The Government did not think it would serve any useful purpose by stifling criticism on sucn measures; in fact, it would not be doing its duty to the country if it did so. The session would be brought 10 a close as early as possible.