WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT.

(Special Correspondent.)

Wellington, .Nov, 25. Though there will not be a full House when Parliament reassembles to-mor-row, there will be a sufficient numer of members present for the work of the session to proceed without further interruption. The fact that the House will met at 11 a.m. is taken to indicate that the Government <)as determined to push on the business with all possible speed without resorting to late sittings, and it is hoped that private members will co-operate with Ministers in avoiding unnecesasry delays The Prime Minister has abandoned t'lie idea of concluding the seosion before he and Sir Joseph Ward leave to attend the Peace Conference and it is believed his attitude in this respect will facilitate the passage of the three or four measures which must have the party leaders' personal supervision.

ACTING LEADERS.

Mr Massey is unable to Bay even approximately how long be and his colleague will be away from the Dominion. It seems tolerably certain, however, that they will be absent for as long as six months. The problem in whidii the outlying portions of the Empire are directly concerned are so numerous and so intricate that it is very unlikely they will Ire finally adjusted in a shorter 'ime. Sir James Allen, whom many people, by the way, would like to see at the Conference, will be Acting Prime Minister And it is generaly assumed tlie Hon. v? D S. Mac Donald will be again Acting Leader of the Liberal Party. Mr Mac Donald does not follow next in seniority to his party chief, but there is tht> precedent of his previous occupancy of the position and personal reaGons why his tact and experience should bo at the service of t'he party

THE LIQUOR BILL.

The Liquor JBill is again under consideration by the Cabinet to-day, and it is rumored that Ministers are making strenuous efforts to reduce its dimensions. The report that it contains from 140 to 150 clauses has greatly alarmed tfhe prohibitionists and seriously concerned the independent supporters of the National Efficiency Board's proposal. If t!>e measure is as bulky as it is alleged to be, its passage through the House will be a bulky business and no one can say what will happen when it reaches the" Council. There is talk of a stonewall against the introduction of the State Control issue and of organised opposition to the ayment of compensation, but any merely factious obstruction probably would lead to the postponement of the measure till next session. This is one of the matters the party leaders will not leave to be decided in their absence.

next session.

In the ordinary course under the legislation extending the life of Parliament, a session would open in June or July of next year and the election would take place 'at the end of November or t'iie beginning of December. There is a growing- feeling here that this is what will actually occur. The delegates to the Peace Conference are unlikely to return before June, and when they arrive they will 'have many questions of Imperial consequence to place before Parliament. Parliament must deal with these questions and others of pressing importance, and the work well might occupy two or three' months. Then the dissolution could be taken, leaving the constituencies witfh a couple of months to select their representatives, and the new Parliament could assemble in January or February. Domestic legislation will then have been delayed five bv the w. 1