SECRET SESSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1940, Page 4

SECRET SESSION

HOUSE DISCUSSES WAR EFFORT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON’S BUSINESS. INTRODUCTION OF STANDARDS BILL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Meeting in secret session last night, the House of Representatives discussed the latest developments of the country’s war effort. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. after the tea adjournment the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser,, drew the attention of Mr Speaker to the presence of “strangers.” Actually the only “strangers” were members of the Press Gallery and messengers on duty in the chamber. They immediately withdrew from the immediate precincts, and the usual precautions were taken to ensure a secret discussion. The House met in the afternoon an hour later than usual because of the State luncheon to mark the pending retirement of the Governor-General from office. Members asked Ministers an unusually large number of urgent questions. Several final reports of select committees were also presented, and a Standards Bill, which provides for the establishment of a Standards Council with statutory authority, was introduced. This measure is not to be proceeded with this session, but is to be circulated for consideration by interested parties. A good deal of time was occupied with discussion on the Waitara Harbour Bill, which was passed, and before the conclusion of the afternoon sitting the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, moved the second reading of the Finance Bill (No. 4). The really important clauses, he said, were those amending the general practitioner scheme to provide for voluntary arrangements between doctors and patients? The session will finish today, when Parliament will be prorogued till early next year.