GENERAL APPROVAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 21 August 1913, Page 11

GENERAL APPROVAL.

A MESSAGE HOME. AND A COMPARISON. "In accordance -with (lie usual custom following tho opening of Parliament," the Prime Minister told Mr. Hanan m the House of Hopresentotives yesterday, "a cable message was forwarded to tho High Commissioner in London. Tho message was as follows, and is quito correct:— " 'Parliament opened yesterday by Commission. Mr. Lang elected Speaker. Speech delivered by Governor to-day. Contents received with general approval throughout 'the Dominion. Future prospects very bright. Look forward to . another year continued prosperity and satisfactory remuneration those engaged industries. Agricultural, pastoral industries still continue expand, itapid progress settlement." "When the Mackenzie Government, of which tho honourable gentleman (Mi. Hanan) wits a member, submitted tho Governor's Speech on June Tt, 1912, his Government on the same date forwarded a message more than Jour times as lengthy and four times as costly to the High Commissioner, of which tho following is tho opening sentence.— " 'Parliament opened to-day. Speech received with general approval/ etc. "It ifi hardly necessary to add, as evidence that the Speech was not received with general approval, that tho Government of which tho honourablo gentleman was a, member was some ten days afterwards defeated 011 an amendment to tlio Aildress-in-lteply to his Excellency's Speech. The honourallo member's reference to "self-gloritication" is somewhat unfortunate."

Mr. Kussell said that the remark "general approval" had been justiiied in the case of tho message sent by'the Mackenzie Government, because their Speech contained a statesmanlike policy. "It w'as not our fault," said the member for Avon, "that tho policy was not given effect to." Ho commented upon what ho called 'the slavish way in which t'lio tenor of the Mackenzie Government's message had been followed by tho present Government. Tho honourable gentleman (t'lie Prime Minister) was always blundering into the holes that the Mackenzie Government had left lor liim. 'I'll© Government should show some initiative, and develop lines oi thought and policy for itself. Tho Priino Minister said that the message to which Mr. Hanan had directed attention was dispatched without the knowledge of a single member of the Goveminent. It was sent by nn officer of tho State and of course ho (the Minister) accepted responsibility. The message was forwarded at .midnight 011 the eveiuDß of tho day on which tho Governors Speech was delivered, after tho evening paperß had circulated, and when members of Par liament and others had expressed ap proval of tho Speech, and what was contained therein. The statements made in tho message to tho High Commissionei were absolutely correct. It was different with tho message sent Homo a year earlier by tho Mackenzie Government. lhat message was sent from the Cabinet room, aud it was just about four times as long ns tho message sent on behalf of the present Government. Mr. Kussell: I am afraid your appointee in tho office of High Commissioner was responsible for that. Mr. Massey said that tho later message was not of such a trumpet-blowing fltnl "high falntin" character as tho ono dispatched a year earlier, and while it cost, X 4, the message sent by tho previous Government cost -CIG. Mr. Kussell: I agree with you that that was absolute extravagance. It is the ono extravagance you iiavo proved against the Mackonzie Ministry. Mr. Massey: It is tho straw that shows which way tho wind blows! ■