The Press Friday, November 4, 1927. The Parliamentary Session.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19149, 4 November 1927, Page 10

The Press Friday, November 4, 1927. The Parliamentary Session.

Although it is four and a half months since the Parliamentary Session began, there has been no notable volume of business transacted. One measure of prime importance, indeed, has been dealt with: the Tariff Bill; and there is cause for thankfulness in the fact that there was enough serious talk upon it to make a good contrast with the disgraceful levity with which tariff revision has been treated in the past. But it cannot be denied that a great part of the four and a half months was wasted. Our legislators are not accustomed to remain at work for very long after the end of October, and it may be expected that they will be anxious to get away from Wellington as soon as they can. It is possible, therefore, that the country may once again see the Legislature hurrying at top speed through a heavy programme of business. There are some highly contentious measures on the Order Paper. These are now reduced in number by one, through the rejection of the Religious Exercises Bill. There still remain the Gaming Bill, the Arbitration Amendment Bill, and the Licensing Bill. The Gaming Bill has been before the House and the country for so long that every member

of Parliament knows thoroughly everything that can be said for and against it. The case for the Bill, as has been demonstrated over and over again by every newspaper in New Zealand which has written upon it, is proof against all attack. There has never been a single argument brought against it which has not been refuted, as is not to be wondered at when one re-

members that the opposition to- it comes partly from ignorant and prejudiced people who have exposed their ignorance more frequently than they have revealed their good intentions, and partly from those who are fighting the battle of the professional gambler against the good government of the Turf. As in the past, the opponents of the Bill will seek to kill it by obstructive tactics, but on the present occasion the Government ought to provide the fullest-facilities to the friends of the Bill to overcome an opposition which has utterly failed to show that it deserves any consideration. The Arbitration Bill has been, fortunately, very fully discussed, but it, also, will, be obstructed in the House by a small minority. This is.a Government Bill, and although it proposes no fundamental alterations in the Act, what it does propose is in the main so clearly desirable that the. Government ought to refuse to allow purely obstructive tactics to defeat it. The Licensing Bill has not yet been circulated, nor has the Government made any statement from which anyone can even- guess at its general scope or purpose. Since Parliament cannot deal in two or three weeks with a major measure relating to a subject so important and so productive of violent and bitter controversy, it may be assumed that the Government does not seriously intend to go on with this Bill. As in past sessions, there will certainly appear a considerable number of Bills, great and small, and if past practice is followed Parliament will pass them in its sleep. The proceedings at the end of last session aroused not a little public indignation, and this seemed to be a sign that people were at last beginning to wake up to the impropriety of what has for many years been called " the end-o£-the-sessiom "rush." Nothing can cure the House of its bad habit but persistency in protest. "We are making this protest beforehand in the hope that it will induce all those who take any interest in politics to pay attention to the proceedings in the Legislature between now and the end of the session.