PARLIAMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 7

PARLIAMENT

THE WEEK RHIEWLD. msciJSsION 0" TRANSPORT. mom: LEGISLATION T 0 APPEAR. (From our Parliamentary COPPESWMH‘") \\’ELLINGTON. Sunday. Transport monopollsed the attention oi’ the House of Representatives last week. With the exception oi’ Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon: the week has been devoted entirely to mull" sion on the Transport Amendment Licensing Bill. \\'hen the week-end adjournment was taken on Friday the committee stages of the Bill had 1399“ completed. leaving only the third reading to dispose of. Few Speeches are likely to be made at this stage. and the indications are that the Bill will disappear from the Order Paper on Tuesday. Contrary to expectations the Prime Minister. the Rt. Hon. .\l. J. Savage, did not ask the House to sit on Monday. Any possibility of adjourning at the end of the month [or a winter recess 01 about live weeks has new disappeared, and June 12 is now belnE spoken as the approximate 'adjourument date. Steady progress was made in the Legislative Council, and the Factories Amendment Bill and the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill were both placed on the statute Book. Chops and Offices. The Shops and omces Amendment Bill still awaits the consideration of the House, and legislation due for introduction before the recess includes two mortgage Bills. a measure dealing with rents. and a Finance Bill, a section or which will relate to the restoration of wages and salaries to the 1931 level. Although the Opposition is powerless to prevent the progress or the Government‘s legislation. there is no doubt its critcism has given the public a better understanding or the full significance of the various measures. The two outstanding men in the Opposition to-day are Mr W. J. Poison (Strati'ord). who is the president of the New Zeeiand Farmers' Union, and Mr W. J. Broadtoot (Waitomo). There is a general feeling that neither the Leader or the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. nor the 'Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Kaipara) can command the full support or the antiLabour section or the community, and that a change of leadership is inevitable. Messrs Poison and Broadroot are to-day the virtual leaders or- the Opposition in fighting the Government‘s policy measures. Mr Polaon’e Prestige High. .\lr Poison has aiso addressed a number of public meetings at which he has explained fully the effect of Labour‘s legislation. and since the commencement of the session, his prestige in the country and the House has multiplied a. thousand—told. He and .\lr Broadfoot have done much to make the Opposition a militant and efi'ective unit in lighting the Government‘s legislation. Indeed. when he rises to speak now-a-days. there invariably comes from the Labour benches an in~ terjection “The New Leader." A new member. Mr S. G. Holland (Christchurch North). who represents a seat previously held by his father. has proved an asset to the Opposition's debating strength. He has been particularly prominent in debates on industrial legislation—a subject on which he is well qualified to speak with authority. Taken all round. the debating strenath of the House is definitely superior to that of the last Parliament. Tllls. no doubt. accounts in some measure for the crowded galleries, both day and night. it is no uncommon sight to sea women arriving as early as six o‘clock to ensure a scatter them—selves 1w the time the House resumes at 7.30. The House will sit extended hours from now until its adjournment,