PARLIAMENT GETS BUSY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 32, 1 November 1937, Page 8

PARLIAMENT GETS BUSY

Our Own Correspondent.)

Legislative Activity During Past Weeks VARIETY IN DEBATES

(From

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Befinite progress was made by the House of Bepresentatives last week, and plenty of va'riety was contained in the business submitted for the consideration of legislatorsj indeed, the week was the first of any real legislative activity since the opening of Parliament nearly two months ago. The financial debate was brought to a close, two Government Bills and five locai Bills were put through all stages and passed, two new measures were intfoduced and a day was devoted to the consideration of the estimatest The arguments advanced from the Opposition benches during the protracted debate on the financial statement I were replied to by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nagh, in a speech on Tuesday night. Mr. N.ash also reaffirmed the decision of the Government against the raising of further j loans on the London market, but he I made a significant qualification that he I could not say that tlie necessity for I overseas borrowing in the future would I not arise. Most of the discussion in the House I during the week was confined to mat- } ters of defence. No great opposition was displayed to any of the Govern- I .mont's measures and the criticism was directed to points' of detail. The Minister oi Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, was j particularly informative regarding the I plans for the future expansion of the I Air Force.

The new Government measures which appeared during the week were the Physical Welfare and Becreation Bill, and the Local Government (Amalgamation .chemes) BilL The former Bill was gl.on a cordial reception on its introduction. At one time it appeared that the Minister was toying with the idea of sport organised by civil servants, but he has avoided that danger and his Bill aims chiefiy at community effort for the provision of facilities. The other Bill is virtually the same tts that which was intirbduced in the dying hours of last session and circulated for public information.'Full procedure is laid down for giving effecfc to the amalgamation schemes and the only compulsory provisions apply in the case of local bodies who refuse their co-operation. * At the -present stage, the future of the Bill seems aomewhat doubtful. - -

All Day Friday was occupied in the eonsideration of the estimates. The chief points in the discussion were the mounting cost of general Government administration and the. Government 's scheme for assisting the wheatgrowing industry. These matters practically monopolised the attention o£ members untii the closure was applied." There will be no lack of business before the House during the present week. The Imprest Supply Bill will be introdueed on Tuesday after the week-end and a Iate sittings is bound to follow.- Thereafter, there will be four bills for discussion, the- Arrny Board Bill, the Broadcasting ■ Ameiidment Bill, the Sale of Wool Bill and the Physical "Welfare and Eecreation Bill, and it also appears that severai days will be Tequired before the Estimates are finally passed.