I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. The measure is called the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Bill, but it might be better described as the Hope Deferred Act. As Deputies will remember, when we enacted the measure last year and extended, until the 31st December, 1947, certain of the powers conferred upon the Government by the Emergency Powers Act, 1939, and the Orders made thereunder, it was hoped that emergency conditions would have largely passed by this date. It is now obvious that this hope has not been realised.
Emergency conditions persist in many directions and, in some degree, have even become accentuated during the past 12 months. There are still world shortages of many vital commodities, notably wheat, oils, fats and sugar and, as Deputies will have learned from recent discussions, there are growing currency difficulties which may give rise to further supply problems in the course of the next few months. In these circumstances it is obviously necessary that the Government should be enabled to retain powers of control over essential supplies and services. The Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 (Continuance) Bill, 1947, provides for the continuance of such of the emergency powers as are still necessary for a further period of 12 months.
Since the original Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946, came into force the Government has made every effort to implement its undertaking to abandon all emergency powers which are not essential in present circumstances or to enshrine in permanent legislation those which it has considered desirable to continue. A similar policy in the matter of the shedding of powers no longer required has been followed by individual Ministers in exercise of the functions conferred upon them by the main Orders.
It would, perhaps, be optimistic to express the hope that this Bill will be required for another year and no longer —that this time next year we can dispense with rationing and the other controls which will be exercised under it.