NEXT SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1917, Page 7

NEXT SESSION.

ONLY WAR LEGISLATION. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, April 12. A question put to the Acting Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) to-day elicited the statement that, as far as he knew, only war legislation would be dealt with by Parliament during the coming session. This much might have been guessed. Parliament will not be in a mood for dealing with other than war bills, even if the Government had time to prepare them, but there are indications that the bills will cover a considerable amount of ground. First place in order of importance will be givon to the Loan Bill, which will involve additional taxation, unless victory conies a good deal quicker than most people expect. It is likely that the deliberations of the National Efficiency Board will produce a crop of bills. One of them may give the Government power to vary awards in the direction of increasing the weekly hours to be worked for tho minimum wage. Something of this kind will be necessary in the war period if the struggle is continued into another year, and the present rate of recruiting is maintained. Then the question of the soldiers' pensions and allowances is likely to be re-opened in view of the impending mobilisation of Second Division Reservists. It is quite possible, of course, that Mr. Massey and Sr Joseph Ward will come back from the War Conference with a budget of bills for the attention ,of New Zealand legislators, but more probably the big questions that arc being discussed at Home will be held over for settlement after the war.