THE WORK OF THE SESSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2164, 21 August 1907, Page 2

THE WORK OF THE SESSION

MR. LAURENSON PROTESTS AGAINST “BUFFOONERY.” THE PREMIER STATES THE GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS. THE COURSE OF BUSINESS. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, August 20. The Premier this afternoon moved his motion providing that for the rest of the session Government business should take precedence on Wednesdavs. Tile Leader of the Opposition said, he would not oppose the motion, and he' hoped the Government would now bring down their policy measures and get to work. Mr. Laurenson referred to the waste of time there had been on private members’ days. There had not only beeii a" wiaste of time, but “buffoonery/’ a word which tile Speaker made the lion, member withdraw. The Premier, in reply, said the House had made very good progress with the work of the session, and in addition to other business liad passed seventeen clauses of the Estimates. Mr. Ell: “AA T e have had no snags yet.” Sir J. AA’ard: “AA r e are quite prepared to meet snags and remove them and put them behind us.” The experience of private members’ days this session had been that when contentious measures appeared on the order paper measures ahead of them were discussed at great length. Mr. Massey: “Noxious Bills.” Sir Joseph Ward: Yes. No doubt many of then! are so. The desire of the Government, he said, was to get through the remainder of the Estimates and leave the wav clear for bringing down the tariff resolutions on Friday next. The alterations in the resolutions which liad been decided upon as the result of representations made to the Government would be submitted at the outset. He added that when some of the important Bills now before committees came back it might he necessary to defer the tariff in order to go on with the second reading of these Bills, so that they might be advanced a stage. He instanced the Land Bills as being in this category.