THE COMING SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1921, Page 8

THE COMING SESSION.

TOTALISATOR PERMITS. TARIFF REVISION BILL. The Prime Minister is expected to reach Wellington about October 5. If the session of Parliament opens on September 22, as is expected, the House will not have had time to deal with much beyond the Address-in-Reply before Mr. Massey takes his seat. The report of the Racing Commission is one of the matters that will await his return. Discussion in political circles indicates that some attempt will be made by interested members to secure the amendment of the commission's report. The Gaming Act of last year, which authorised the constitution of the commission, provided that the recommendations should become void if either House dissented from them, hut there may be room for amendment without involving the rejection/of the report and the complete restoration of the old conditions as to totalisator permits. Whether the parties can reach an agreement is another question. The members who object to the increase nf the total number of permits plus the members who oppose the extinction of certain clubs, may be found to constitute a majority of the House. The discussions that took place last year indicated that most members believed the present allocation of permits was unfair, but the report embodying the revised scheme of distribution may have to stand or fall as a. whole. The Tariff Bill is expected to be ready for the House by the time the Prime Minister returns, but Mr. Massey, who has stated ho will take charge of the measure in the House, is likely to require time for its study after he reaches Wellington, and the measure may not reach the House much before the end of October. The procedure after that will be a matter for Cabinet consideration. The Tariff Commission has heard evidence from the various interests likely i.o be specially affected*by the new tariff, but these interests, and particularly the Manufacturers’ Association, may desire to be heard again after they have seen the Bill. They do not know at present what lines the commission is going to follow in the drafting of the Bill. The new tariff will come into operation by resolutions of the two Houses as soon as the Bill is presented, and under the present law the tariff measure itself must be placed on the Statute Book before the end of the session. If this is to be done the members o-t Parliament must either adopt the Bill without listening to many arguments, or else they must be prepared to continue the session well into the New Year. There seems to be no reason, however, why New Zealand should not follow the example of Australia and provide that after the tariff resohitipns i have been adopted the Tariff Bill itself I may be carried forward to another session for fn;ul consideration. The Federal Parliaflfent' has used an arrangement of this kind.