PROSPECTS OF THE SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1917, Page 2

PROSPECTS OF THE SESSION.

A STORMY" TIME PREDICTED.

(l I rom Our Own Correspondent)

Wellington, Juno 12. 1. lie prospects of tlie .session are being discussed busily now, and the .politk-ul prophets are outlining debates and draftin;; Bills with great energy and perspicuity. Prophecy, as a matter of fact, is rash, since so much depends upon t!i<: two.party leaders whose return to Sew ■Zealand after an absence of over ten months is now imminent. The session must be a war session. Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are coming direct from councils of Empire, with inside knowledge that necessarily is not yet possessed by their colleagues in the National Government. It is certain that much of the responsibility for the course of the session will .be theirs.

There is a general expectation that the National Government is going l to encounter much adverse criticism during the session. Members who have visited Wellington lately have been full of their own and their constituents' grievances. The Government's sins, one gathers, have been mainly sins of omission, but the indictment is a formidable one. Weakness in handling the industrial situation, injustices to soldiers and dependents, failure to move boldly in the organisation of the country for war and failure to deal effectively with the rising cost of living are some of the counts. Parliament may prove amendable after it has worked off the angry speeches. But the National Government, which, admittedly. is unwieldy and disorganised, may have a very had run The liquor question will be one of the awkward hurdles, The session's Bills will include a. loan Bill, a Finance Bill .providing for increased taxation and a readjustment of the war profits tax, and some amending Bills dealing with soldiers' affiairs. Mr. Massey may he bringing some Bills with him. It is being liinted here that, the loan proposals, which were expected at an early date, may be delayed, subscriptions toeing invited in the last quarter of the year. Certain Bills have been prepared, ; but tliev will not be discussed fully by Cabinet until the party leaders have returned.

An adjournment of about a fortnight after the necessary Imprest Supply Bill lias been passed seems a safe prediction, in view of the fact Mat Mr. Masse.v and Sir Joseph Ward will have had scant time to pick up the strings of administration.