CLOSE OF SESSION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20922, 29 September 1939, Page 7

CLOSE OF SESSION

NUMEROUS BILLS WAITING SOME MAY BE CONTENTIOUS (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Thursday Legislation to be considered before the end of the present session of Parliament was outlined by the actingPrime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, in the House of Representatives today. “In studying our programme I have come to the conclusion that it would be quite impossible, even with the greatest effort, to finish tomorrow or even on Saturday,” Mr Fraser said. “The Bills on the order paper are the Customs Acts Amendment Bill, the Statutes Amendment Bill, the Rural Housing Bill and the Pharmacy Bill (No. 2). I do not expect any prolonged discussion on these particular measures and perhaps if urgency is given them they will be passed before the House rises today. “In addition there are four measures, the Legal Aids Bill, the Fair Rents Amendment Bill, the Land Laws Amendment Bill and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment (No. 2) Bill before committees. Three of them should be reported back today and should not involve much discussion. Intricate and Contentions “The Fair Rents Amendment Bill is somewhat intricate, and members may consider that it is necessary to discuss it at some length and to analyse it very closely. “There will be a number of measures introduced today, and some others may be introduced tomorrow, or perhaps next Tuesday,” Mr Fraser continued. “They include the Social Security Amendment Bill, the Visiting Forces Bill, the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill, the Primary Products Marketing Amendment Bill, the Resprve Bank Amendment Bill, the Finance Bill (No. 2) and additions to the Statutes Amendment Bill. “The Social Security Amendment Bill should not occupy much time. It rectifies certain anomalies and provides for the agreement arrived at with the British Medical Association with regard to maternity benefits. The Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill may be contentious and the Reserve Bank Amendment Bill may conceivably be contentious. Opposition Members: Contentious

is right. “The Primary Products Marketing Amendment Bill may deserve considerable attention and the Finance Bill (No. 2) may be discussed at length or may be put through right away,” the Minister said. “The Visiting Forces Bill is simply a technical matter bringing this country into line with Great Britain in regard to any forces which may wish to come here. Statutes Amendment Bill “The Statutes Amendment Bill is an omnibus measure, and if there are clauses which are unintentionally productive of strong controversy the question whether they should be gone on with will be considered.” Mr Fraser said that in the event of controversial matter being introduced no member was expected to sink his conscientious opinion. He considered this was the spirit in which the matter should be approached. “I am anxious that we should close as early as possible next week,” Mr Fraser added, “and I think it fair to ask that we should deal with the Customs Acts Amendment Bill, the Statutes Amendment Bill, the Rural Housing Bill and the Pharmacy Bill (No. 2) today.”