WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1930, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE SESSION-APPROACHING END. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, October 21. Members of both branches of the Legislature are hoping to see the end of the present session during the current week. Perhaps they may. The Acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, however, has been so frequently baulked in his efforts to reach the prorogation in reasonable time that lie may be less inclined to accelerate the pace than he would have been a week or two ago. He obviously was jesting when he suggested the other day that tlie Railway Commission and the Select Committee on Railways should occupy only a single afternoon. The suggestion gave the leader of the Opposition, the Hon. J. G. Coates, an opportunity to protest against such a hasty proceeding and the leader of the Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, another opportunity to associate himself, for the time being, with the Reformers. Mr Ransom contented himself with reminding members that time was speeding and postponing the discussion to a more convenient season. GAMING BILL. Mr K. S. Williams, the successor to the late Sir George Hunter in the custody of the Gaming Amendment Bill, still has his “baby” on the Order Paper, with a promise that it will hum a “fair spin” ; but with the faces of nine-tenths of the members of the House turned towards home there can be no hope of its progressing further during the present session. Even the advocates of the Bill are yadia'-tting that the time is unopportune for the presentation of the measure and that it may be wise to withhold it for a year or two. .It can no longer be logically argued that racing contributes towards the well-being of the mass of the community or that it strengthens the arm of the nation in time of war. Mr Williams—himself a “good sportsman” in the best sense of the title—admits that his course is even more difficult than was that of liis popular predecessor. CENSUS AND ELECTIONS.

The omission of the Census next year—which has been approved by the House of Representatives as a measure of economy amounting to some £30,000 —is said to have been warmly welcomed by many members of the House. “It is probable”, the “Post” says mildly, “that members of the House of Representatives were influenced to some extent in their acceptance of the Census Fostponment Bill by the thought this would entail postponement also of the alteration of electiral boundaries. As members have been elected with the existing boundaries they may assume that those boundaries are fairly favourable to them, and tncro is a chalice that alterations would not be so favourable.” The chief objection directed against the measure was based oil the fact that the omission of the census “would destroy a vnluable statistical • continuity.” To this the Hon. P. A. de la Perelle, the Minister of Internal Affairs, replied, to the effect that if the financial position improved the census, would be taken earlvin the year. THE REFORM CAUSE. The leaders of the Reform Party are by no means discomfited by the loss of the Waipawa seat at the recent by-election. They attribute their “temporary loss of the seat.” as they say, to the personal popularity of Mr Jull, not to any increased leaning m the constituency towards the present Government. They doubt—or at any rate they profess to doubt —if Mr Jull will be satisfied with the political company in which he will find himself. At a Reform Party rally in Petone on Saturday night Mr Harold Johnston, who contested the Hutt seat when it W aA left vacant by the appointment of Sit Thomas Wilford to the office of High Commissioner in London, spoke very confidently of the good things that that were to fall to the lot of bis partv at the next general election. It would seem that the United Party was to go into the wilderness altogether and that Labour was to maintain a mere existence on the border of the arid waste by gathering such crumbs as it could.