PARLIAMENT'S WORK

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 241, 13 October 1942, Page 2

PARLIAMENT'S WORK

TO-MORROW'S SESSION. POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE TENSE.

P.A.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 13.

Recent political developments have stimulated interest in the session oi Parliament to be resumed to-morrow afternoon. Since Parliament last met on August 20 National Party Ministers have resigned from the War Cabinet and the War Administration in accordance with a majority decision of the party caucus, and it is generally expected that members of the Opposition will avail themselves of the opportunity to discuss in the House the events and other circumstances that led to this step. Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party are to discuss the political situation at a caucus of the party to-morrow morning. No information as to the future of the War Administration is expected till after this caucus, for it is thought that the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, will wish to consult his party first. The allocation has also to be made of the Ministerial responsibilities surrendered by the Opposition Ministers who resigned. There is some curiosity and interest as to whether the Minister for Armed Forces and War Co-ordina-tion, Mr Coates, and the Associate Minister for Supply, Mr Hamilton, who both rejoined the War Cabinet at the invitation of the Prime Minister, will continue to occupy their present seats in the House or move across the floor of the House to seats with other Ministers. Eoth occupy seats in the Opposition front-row benches, Mr Coates sharing a bench with Sir Alfred Ransom, and Mr Hamilton having the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, as his, bench-mate. SECRET SITTING. A secret session to enable members to hear and discuss the latest developments in the war situation is expected to be held. Since the last meeting of Parliament the Prime Minister has visited the United States of America, and no doubt there will be a good deal of confidential information about his mission that he will wish to give members. Tribute will be paid to the memory of a member of the Legislative Council and two former members of the House of Representatives who have died during the short recess. They are the Hon. J. Goodall, M.L.C. (Westland) and Mr J. Vigor Brown, a former M.P. for Napier, and Mr W. D. Lysnar, former M.P. for Gisborne. The legislative programme is expected to include three "washing-up" Bills — a Local Legislatiori Bill. Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill, and a Native Purposes Bill. A Finance Bill is likely to make an appearance, as well as a measure extending the operation of the rent restriction legislation. This measure may possibly contain some amendments to the existing law. Estimates as to the likely duration of the session show wide differences of opinion, but the present indications are that it will certainly run well into next week. v