THE SESSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1839, 21 August 1906, Page 3

THE SESSION.

INTEUVIEW WITH THE PREMIER

Wellington, More than tbo usual intercut will attach to tho Governor’s Speech, wlreli will Do delivered at tho opening of Parliament today, as it will contain tho fust public announcement of tbu policy of tho now Ministry. The Premier and Minist-rs have firiu'y rofrainod from giving any in. dioation of the programme proposed to bo undertaken Tho various intnrviowers who havo questioned tho Fiomior ou tho poiut have had to come away with their search for oopy unsatisfied. 11 I regret that I am unable to givo you any information as to tbe policy of the Gcvsrnmonß” w.s tho answer given to mo by Sir Jo-oph Ward when I waited upon him this evening. “A? tho opening of tho session is so close,” ho arid, •' I tliii k it is only fitting, aud what is fair to members of Parliament, that they should flirt rociivo a statement of tho policy of ilio Gjmerit-.”

11 You had no int'nt’m tbm. Sir Josrpb, of dilivorir g a policy speech before iho opening of Parii-.m nt 2 ' ‘ No ; is wss stated a fe-.v d-iya ago that I would probably do sc, but thorn was mi authority fur such a statement. Under tho ordinary circumstances of a rrciss, of course, I would probably havo made such a speech, but seeing tha: wo aro now within or ly a few days of tho meeting of Parliament, I consider that I am following tbi f'ght course in giving tho fi-st unnoume nont to Parliament i'sclf.”

" You cannot even say, then, S r J jsepb, what Inge policy questions, f any, are to bo d’alt with lhi-i scssijn 2’’ ” No ; I am sorry to say that I o .u till yen ni:hing at pros rut.” " Tan proparatirns for the session art; well forward, I auppo-ro, Sir Josrph 2” ‘’Yes; everything is quite ready, and

hero will bo no difficulty in getting well

unior way with ilia busi-wss as soon n? wo stark Tho Financial Stßom-nt will bo ready by tbo opening of Parliamat t, and tbe House cm have it during tho first

week of tbo session if is desires to have is. Tho Addroas in Reply will, cf cou s--, have to be disposod of, but pfsor that th-re

need bo no delay in the appraranoo of the Brdg t.”

“ You expect to close tbo so'sion by tbo end of Oc.obo! 2 ’

“ I heps to do so, If we had met earlier wo would lave had a session of full length I'-v t tat tint!’, and at that period of tho year members are usually anxious to get away to their homes If She House makes

up i's m'nl for work, as I havo no doubt it will do, we will bo ablo to get through a lot of week during tbo next two montha. Tbe opening of the International Exhibition, of coutso, will furnish the principal iniucement for completing the business before November Ist. A groat many ui tubers will dofi'-o to be at the Exhibition, aid I think also that wa should have no difficulty in proroguing by the time mentioned. ”

‘•Are you satisfied, Sir Joseph, with tho country’s recaption of tbo new Ministry 2 ’ "Yes; perfectly sa'i-Sed. I have had cangratnlatioos on a'l hands, and I think the selection has given g rural s v.is f nction I am pleased to see that Mr Fow’.ds has had such an excellent ri caption at Auckland, and tho weloomes scoot did to Mr Millar and Mr McNab in tho South havo bten equally enthusiastic.”

PREPARATIONS FOR THE SESSION Workmen ore busy nuking alterations in the Pariiamen'ary Buildings, in view of the coming sisrion. A suite of offices is being made for Mr MoNab on tbo second floor, while on the ground floor two rooms arc being altered and furnished for tho Premier’s secretarial staff. Already there are indications of mors business-like methods under the now regime than prevailed formerly. So far very little interest is manifested in tho opening of Parliament on Tuesday, though, no doubt, when the time arrives there will bo tbe usual ourous crowd of sightseers. Toe members, with one or two excep'ions, havo not yei commenced to arrive, and just at present there are only four of the eight Ministers in Wellington.

DEFENCE MATTERS. It is not unlikely that some changes in r. gsrd to dtfonee matters miy bu brought forward at an early date- Oa being questioned on tbo subj.ct, tho Minister for Defecoe (the Hon. A. Pitt) informed ms that he could not at present state what changes would be proposed, but that certain proposals would probably b 9 submitted to Parliament before tbo end of the session. The recomuKndat-ir;n3 made by tho commandant, General Babingioo, in regard to various matters would, he said, be tateen into consideration. Asked whether tbe Grvornmont bad done anything ia regaid to tbe appointment of a successor to General Babingtoo, whose term will expiro in Oo'obcr, Mr Pitt replied in tbo negative. Wi ; l there be an interregnum between tbo time of tbe present commandant ieavlog aid the appointment of his successor'? ’ tbo Minister wan a-k-.d.

” As to that I cannot say,” he roplird, NotbiDg has yet been decided upon.” THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The future of tho Legislature Council is a subject which it is expected will bo deals with by the Government io some form during the ooraiog session. It will ba remembered that the Hen. W. Hall-Jonrs recently gave a:ma indication of the kind in a speech in ihe South. It is now rumored that a Bill will be brought forward providing for the members of tho Upper Chamber being elected by tbs members of the Lower House, but no official information is obtainable on tho subject. Ti e ro 1 of the C .uncil is being gradually reduced by the dropping cub of members through I I'll ixion of time, aid so far the new Government, it is understood, has not recommended any persons to tho Governor for appointment Tho Constitution doss not provido for any fixed number of councillors, but tho continuance of the presont indefirite poffiion i-, of course, impossible.

CHAIRMANSHIP OF COMMITTEE J . The constitution of tho Ministry having been dispenoil of puh'ic curiosity is now being divested to the question cf the ap p ointment of a new chairman of cjmmntees in euccess’oo to Mr Miliar. Tame aro said to be quite a number of cspi'unts for the position. The obancos of MrT. M. Wilford, member for the Ilutf, are eon sidoied to be very good, and as he is a North Llaud member ho may have, an additional advantage over the pos iole candida'e3 from the South, which is already well favored in regard to representation in tbo Cabinet, in oddiiion to having a mernbtr in tbo Speaker’s chair. The Post, in discussing the subject, eays that Mr Wilfoid is easily first in iha running, and it states that it has information f om its Dunedin correspondent to tho effect that the member for tho Ilutt will receive prootically a block vote from the Omgo and Southland membtrs. The South Island candidate rncsl fuoe’ed is Mr Tanner, although tho names of Sir William Steward and Mr L'Urer.sm have also been mentioned. —N.Z Hora'd special.