PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3987, 22 August 1929, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

FINANCIAL DEBATE.

The Financial Debate is now going into its third week, but there is no sign of it ending before Friday, if then.

Once the debate is out of the way, however, it will be possible for the House to get down to consideration of Government legislation and the Estimates. Usually it takes about seven to eight weeks to get through the Estimates, but- it is possible that the process may be expedited this year if the House will agree to go into Committee of Supply without debate on two days of the week. Under the Standing Orders the Government has the right to go into Committee of Supply on Estimates on Fridays without an intercepting motion.

Apart from the Government Bills, dealing with land settlement, taxation, railways, and transport, there are several important Departmental reports to be presented, including Railways and Public Works. The Railways Statement is expected to come down fairly soon, but, of course, the presentation of the Public Works Statement is always an indication that the end of the session is not far away. The most important business facing the House, howevei’, is consideration of Mr. Coates’s proposed amendment to the Customs Bill. It is assumed that this Avill relate to the increase in the primage duty, and, if it is moved, it will provide the first real test of the session. Should the Government survive the division, with or without the help of the whole of the members of the Labour Party, there may be another struggle later over the su-per-land tax proposals, but on these it is felt that the Government will have such, a majority that the Budget proposals when embodied in the Land and Income Tax (Annual) Bill, will be certain to become law.