WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 18 June 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE SESSION

PREPARATION AND PREDICTIONS

WELLINGTON, June 15

The approach of the third session ■of the nineteenth Parliament of New Zealand is being signalled by various announcements in tne newspapers in ! regard to the Government's programme, the mover and seconder of the Address-in-Reply and so forth, and by the customary bustle of preparation. The Government's programme, though sketched in some detail by the enterprising journalists whose business it is to serve the public in this xespect, .is not likely to take any definite shape till Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are here to assist in its compilation. It is fairly safe to predict, however, that Ministers will lave to concentrate the attention of Parliament upon war measures during the session and to postpone more controversial questions till next year. Just how far they will succeed will depend upon the temper of the House and at the moment this does not promise to be quite so compliant as they may desme. 'fill! FURTHER PROLONGATION. B'ut for the legislation of last year by which the House of Representatives prolonged its life the approaching session would have been the last of the present Parliament Circumstances have justified the action of the House so far as to make it plain that it would be undesirable to hold a general election at the end of the current year, but they have not entirely disposed of the contention of those people who held that the decision should have been reserved till the approaching session. Now the probability of a further extension of the life of Parliament Is being discussed, but public feeling here is strongly against any step of the kind being taken this year. Nor cio Ministers themselves seem particularly anxious to again postpone the appeal to the constituencies. They realise that long Parliaments are opposed to the sentiment of the country and that the further they remove themselves from the mandate of the electors the stronger this sentiment is becoming. THE ADDR.ESS-INAREPLY.

The announcement that Mr. G. H. Smith, the new member for Pahiatua, will move and the Hon. David Buddo, the member for Kaiapoi, will second the Address-in-Reply, has naturally occasioned a good deal of irresponsible speculation. Presumably the Reform members of the Cabinet nominated Mr. Smith and the Liberal members Mr. Buddo, and peopl© are wondering why Sir John Fihdlay, the hew member for Hawke'S Bay, was not associated with the new member for Pahiatua in this ceremonial display. It is taken for granted that Sir John was offered the distinction, such as it is, and that he had some good and sufficient reason for declining to

speak a little piece on the occasion.' It is suggested—of course as a pure guess—that in view of the Att'"neyGeneral's recent attack upon h'-.n -he •would not be consulting his own dignity by making his first appearance in the House as an apologist for the

Ministry of which that gentleman is a member.

A LIVELY SESSION ANTICIPATED

Other people are making more of the incident They declare that Sir John Findlay's attitude, as they interpret it, is symptomatic of a widespread feeling of dissatisfaction among members of the House which will express itself in various ways as the session progresses. Sir John himself, who must take a place as one of the leading figures in the House, is known to have views of his own concerning the laissez-faire policy of the Government and there are a score of other members who have openly declared their intention to speak out frankly on a number of questions that are exercising the minds of their constituents and, indeed, of the public generally. The session promises to be a much more lively one than either of the other two held since the beginning of the war, and being lively it is bound to be interesting and may i be profitable.