THE COMING SESSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1059, 4 February 1913, Page 3

THE COMING SESSION.

A statement made by the Prime Minister to a Dominion reporter on Saturday evening offers an effective reply to strictures that have lately been appearing in Opposition journals. “To my knowledge,” said Mr Massey, “the business for the session to follow was never so far advanced at a corresponding date as it is now. Quite a number of very important Bills are in course of preparation, and so far as going about the country is concerned, I am not able to accept one-tenth of the invitations that come to hand. Especially in the case of new Ministers, it is absolutely necessary for the Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, the Minister for Public Works, and the Minister for Railways to go about and ascertain for themselves the requirements of the districts. We are not electioneering in the ordinary sense of the word, but are simply doing the country’s business.” Among the measures in preparation which will be introduced next session, the Prime Minister instanced the amendment and consolidation of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration and Shops and Offices’ Act, a Native Land Bill, a Land Bill which will give full effect to the Government’s policy, and a consolidation of the Baud Settlement Finance Act. Another Bill to be introduced will authorise one of the leading Departments of the State to lend money to associations of fruit growers.