PARLIAMENT TO-DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1922, Page 5

PARLIAMENT TO-DAY.

AN ECONOMY SESSION. TAXATION POLICY BILL. FOUR MONTHS’ WORK (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Members of Parliament have begun to arrive in Wellington in readiness for the session. The opening will take place to-morrow, and it is anticipated that by that time there will be a full muster of members. The Ministers have been busy for some time with their preparations for the work of the session. They attended a long sitting of Cabinet yesterday, and they will be ready to put Bills before the House without any delay. The Governor-General’s Speech is bound, on this occasion, to lay stress upon the necessity for economy in public expenditure. Economy, indeed, seems likely to be the keynote of the session. An election year has not always been associated with the restriction of public expenditure, but on this occasion the Ciovernment, as the Prime Minister had indicated already, is facing the necessity for accommodating the estimates to a much reduced revenue. A further factor in promoting economy is the strong plea that the business men and the farmers are making for a reduction .of taxation. The Minister for Finance may not be able to yield to the plea, but he is sure to count every penny of expenditure with a very careful hand.

The movement towards economy will influence legislation. Several of the Bills that have been mentioned by Ministers during the recess would involve increased expenditure from the consolidated fund if they went upon the statute book this year. The Highways Bill, which is now being drafted, comes within this category, and members will not be surprised if it is delayed after it has been introduced and referred to a committee. The promised legislation relating to hospitals also will involve expenditure. The Prime Minister is likely to take an early opportunity or stating the financial position plainly for the information of Parliament.

Two important reports are to reach the House of Representatives early in the session. One will come from the special committee set up by the House last session to consider the licensing laws, and the other from the committee appointed some months ago by the Government to survey the taxation system. The ’ Government has not planned to amend the licensing laws this session. A policy Bill dealing with taxation has been promised, and members will wait with very keen interest to learn if the Minister for Finance can see his way to make the position of the taxpayers at all easier. They seem disposed to take it for granted that ho will not be able to offer any new concessions as far as the current 1 year’s revenue is concerned. Four months is the probable duration of the ; session.

The position of parties iu the House has become a little more interesting during the recess. There has been no change on the Government benches, but there has been movement within the groups that sit on the Opposition side of the House. The Labor Party has gained a member as a result of the Dunedin North by-election, and has now a strength of nine members. The official Opposition, led by Mr. Wilford, will be watched with a great deal of interest this session.