THE SESSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 31 July 1929, Page 3

THE SESSION

RUMOURS OF PARTY SPLIT BUOGLT TO -MORROW BUSINESS QF THE GQVEIfISMEriT (By Telegraph) (From "Tho'Mail's" Parliamentary Reporter). WELLINGTON, 30th July. The second session of the 23rd Parliament of New Zealand is now in its fifth week, anil, as is usual about the middle period of a session, all sorts of rumours are current about divisions and splits in political parlies. This promises to outdo all other sessions in this respect, as this time the United Tarty has been brought into the split arena, and even the Labour Party lias not escaped. So far as the Reform Party is concerned, the rumour has been going the rounds lor the past three weeks that Mr Coates is to be displaced from the leadership in place of Sir James Parr, the High Commissioner, or Mr R. W. Hawke, who, by the way, is the United Party member* for Kaiapoi. These rumours have been published outside Wellington, from which city they liave emanated, but it would seem that none of them has originated from any Pressman within the four walls of Parliament House. Apparently they have some outside source in Wellington, and some members of Parliament pretend that they can place their finger on that source, without any very serious effort at thinking. So far as tho United member for Kaiapoi is concerned, he Stated today that he was most amused at what had been published outside Wellington concerning himself, and a new Reform Party. "If any political party is 'going to depend on R. W. Hawke for its leader," he said, "there will be no political party.'' Other members of the House seem similarly inclined to treat the message about Mr Hawke lightly. The, suggestion that he is associated with the movement to reform the Reform Party is scouted by Mr A. M. Samuel (Thames), who said, when interviewed to-day, that the message which had been sent out from Wellington contained not a tittle of truth. "1 am surprised that reputable newspapers should publish what they did without stating the source. Quite apart from the very comical aspect of the message, which is too laughable for words, I may say that the Reform Party has never been more solid than it is to-day, and like Mr Waite and Mr Nash, 1 am only too happy to serve under the present Reform leader, to whom I am .entirely loyal."

'Amongst other rumours, one. which has gained currency is that certain members of th e Labour Party have declared emphatically that in no circumstances will they vote for any no-confidence motion which would be likely, if carried, to bring about a dissolution of Parliament this year or at any time before the end of the natural course of the present Parliament. Still another rumour, and one which has been mentioned in Parliament, is that Sir Joseph Ward intends to go to London as High Commissioner. From present appearances, the prospects are that this session will run its normal course without the Government's occupancy of the Treasury benches being seriously challenged. It is impossible to forecast accurately the duration of the session, but in the opinion of those competent to judge it is unlikely to close down much before the middle of October. It is expected that the Budget will be introduced on Thursday night, and that the Financial Debate will begin next Tuesday and continue for a fortnight or three weeks. Probably to-mor-iow and Thursday will be devoted to private members' business, but. seeing that the session is now advancing it is unlikely that private members will have many more opportunities for the consideration of their measures, although the Gaming Amendment Bill of Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) will have a chance for discussion. The chief Government business of the session will relate to land settlement, taxation, and authorisation of railway lines. In the latter connection, principal interest will centre' on the proposal for the completion of the gap in the South Island Main Trunk line. as it is understood that Parliamentary authority will he required to this end. In addition to (hpse important matters there is a desire to consolidate the mining laws this year, if at all possible, and it is not improbable that the Government's proposals with regard Ini the control of transport will be subjected-to considerable debate. Motoring interests tire watching with great concern the references which will lie made in tho Budget to the allocation of the monevs from the petrol tax, and if if should happen that any marked departure is to be made from the piesent method of expending these moneys it can be assumed that the proposals will be severely criticised in Parliament.