The Dominion MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1913. OBSTRUCTION & WASTE OF TIME

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1819, 4 August 1913, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1913. OBSTRUCTION & WASTE OF TIME

As the session progresses tho insincerity of the attitude of the Opposition to the measures of the Reform Government becomes more and more apparent. Their tactics on Friday during the debates on the Land and Income Assessment Bill and the Pensions Bill afforded an excellent illustration of their methods. The first of these Bills gives a certain amount of relief from income-tax for'those with children to support, while the second makes more liberal provision for old age pensions. In connection with the Income Assessment Bill, the Prime Minister^ pointed out that this is the first time an attempt has been made in New Zealand legislation to discriminate in favour of the man with a family in the matter of taxation. The Government's proposals aro a new departure, and it is impossible to state with anything like exactitude what the concessions will oost the country. The Government is therefore quite justified in ascertaining the financial consequences of its first step before making further advances in the same direction. Opposition members, however, thought they saw a favourable opportunity for political , advertisement. They did not dare to vote against the Bill, but simply blocked it as long as possible, under pretence that the Government should plungo itself recklessly into unknown liability and grant still further concessions. Tbe party with which the obstructionists arc connected has been in office for over twenty years, and has done na thing whatever to help the man with a family by means of special tax exemptions, and yet they ostentatiously paraded the pretence that they expected the present Government should do everything at one bound. In their protended zeal for the working man, Opposition members set up their farcical obstruction. That their attack was only a sham was shown by such utterances as that of Mh. Isitt, one of the most vehement critics of the Bill. He declared that it was a "tinkering, l-iri-p.ot little Bill," that it was held up to derision from one end of the country to tbe other, and that it was not worth discussing; jrefc, Btrango to say.

the samo Mr. Isitt was one of those who voted for its second reading. No one contends that the proposals of the Bill will prove a panacea for all ills, and doubtless many members of the Government side of the House would be glad to see the concessions further extended. But it would bo the height of foolishness to attempt too much at the start without knowing exactly what the scheme will cost, and, as Mr. Allen said, the Government cannot afford to give away unlimited amounts. The suggestion that something more should be done for the poorer people who do not pay' income tax at all is worthy of every consideration, but an Income Assessment Bill is certainly not the place to do it. The obstructionists of course knew this very well, but their object was not to help .the poor; they only wanted to embarrass the Government and to indulge in cheap benevolent talk as an election advertisement. The Opposition may talk in this fashion, but they cannot escape the knowledge that the country knows the Government is doing something more than talk—it is acting. It not only says it is desirous of making things easier for those in poor circumstances, but it can point to the definite steps it is taking in that direction. So much time was wasted in the futile obstruction of the Land and Income Assessment Bill that other measures set down for consideration \vero not reached until a late hour. The Old Age Pensions Reciprocity Bill was put through Committee without amendment or discussion, but'the Opposition obstructionists began blocking anew on the Old Age Pensions Bill. ■ Long hours ' should be avoided as far as possible, but, on the other hand, the business of the country must be done, and if the earlier hours are recklessly wasted, the lost time must be made up la-ter on. The Government firmly and properly took up this attitude, and the Anti-Reform-ers have only themselves to blame if the people throughout the Dominion regard their hostility to the passage of the Bill as indicating a lack of sympathy for those who will benefit under it when it becomes law. Some bitter and foolish words were spoken, and the members who had tired themselves out by farcical and futile obstruction in the previous debate declared that they were too exhausted to consider intelligently the proposals of the Bill. After a lot of wrangling half a dozen clauses were disposed of, and members were released from duty shortly after eight o'clock on Saturday morning. The Government has a very extensive programme of important legislation to put through this session, and it is certain that if the Opposition are going to adopt obstructive tactics there must be some protracted sittings if the session is to bo brought to a conclusion before Christmas. Members should bo given every facility for legitimate discussion of all measures, but it is simply ridiculous waste of time for the Opposition to stonewall Bills which they dare not vote against, and which they obstruct merely with the idea of embarrassing the 'Government.