NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1520, 16 August 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The member for the Hutfc, who has of late cut a somewhat inglorious figure waiting, with ",his foot on the soft pedal, for "the psychological moment" to present itself, showed something of his old aggressiveness in his speech (in the Financial debate yesterday. There was nothing very new and nothing illuminating in what he said, but it was quite refreshing to listen to a little downright criticism of the Budget. Up to this speech the members of the Opposition who had spoken had each in turn spent most of their time bewailing the alleged theft of their policy by the party in power, and offering very little criticism on the actual merits of the proposals. Mr. Wiwohd, while ho could not altogether omit this portion of the formula, presumably laid down by the Opposition as part of the tactics for the guidance of the party, did endeavour also to carry the war into the enemy's camp, and denounced many of the proposals in quite his best style. It must be assumed that "the psychological moment" which he has informed an amused public he was waiting for has at last arrived. Whether the vacancy in th<S Leadership of the Opposition has had anything to do with the matter we cannot say, but the. member for Hutt certainly deserves some encouragement from the members on his own side of tho House. Why should not Mr. Wiuford be chosen to lead the party 1 He is, comparatively speaking, a young man, but lie can all tho better 'afford to wait for office; and.now that he has taken "his foot off the soft pedal," to again quote his own words, there can be no doubt as to which side of tho House ho will be found on. The party might make a very much worse selection, and it really is quite time they came to an agreement amongst themselves and made a choice of some sort.

The new members of Parliament, and some of the old ones too, who have had it dinned into them so persistently that when the Reform party got into office—if it ever did— the most dreadfully retrograde things would happen, must be rather bewildered at the turn ovents are taking in the House. The Budget, with its democratic and progressive programmcj was of course a very severe shock to the croakers, and some of the Opposition have hardly yet recovered from its effects. But what must astonish, and to a certain extent also disarm, the Opposition, is the generous manner in which the Government supplies information sought by members. Unopposed motions calling for information on Departmental and other matters of public concern have been quite a rarity in the New Zealand Parliament for years past; now they are acceded to by the Massey Government by the dozen. No doubt the Reform Government was committed to this course of action by its past professions, but it is none the loss satisfactory to find the pledges given when in Opposition being carried out so liberally now that the party has attained to office. The days of secrecy and evasion in connection with the conduct of the country's

affairs certainly appear to have passed.

A con respondent, writing from Paraparaumu, makes strong complaint regarding the methods pursued in connection with the military instruction of Cadets and Territorials at that centre. The happenings at the last parade there he recounts, in some detail. Amongst other tilings, he states that the Cadets who mustered for instruction received short shrift, and the Territorials, who came later, found the place in darkness and their time wasted. The matter is one which appears to call for the attention of the military authorities Two new members, who practically made their debut during the present Budget debate, Messrs. Statham, of Dunedin, and Wilson, of Taumarunui, give promise of being a valuable accession to the debating strength of the Government party. Mr. Statham, who spoke on Wednesday evening, does not essay any fine flights of oratory, but in a quiet and pleasing way clearly develops his argument with searching effect. Mr. Wilson is more aggressive ; ready in retort and a difficult speaker to embarrass. He thrives on interjections, and what he has to say is said forcibly and without any mincing of terms. His plea for the black-blocks settlers last evening must have impressed members on all sides of the House with the urgent necessity for giving greater attention to those who are struggling on the outskirts of civilisation to make homes for themselves and their families under the most trying conditions, enduring hardships which arc hardly conceivablo to the towndweller. It is worth noting in this respect that the 'Prime Minister, in his reply So a deputation of Otago members, who were pressing the claims of their province to consideration in the matter of public works expenditure, made clear the policy of tho Government in this direction. "In regard to the expenditure of loan money," Mr. Massey Baid, "the Government considered that roading of the back country was of most importance. Next in order, came railway construction."' If the Government sticks to this policy, and takes care that the money v is expended in the right quarters, it can do an immense amount of good, not merely for the back-blocks settlers, who have been so much neglected in tho past, but for the whole of New Zealand. Tho quicker the land is brought under cultivation and means provided for settlers to get in their supplies, and place their produce on the markets of the world, the bettor it will bo for everyone in the Dominion; for all must share in the increased prosperity which is bound to follow.