The Dominion FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1914. THE SESSION'S PROGRAMME

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2186, 26 June 1914, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1914. THE SESSION'S PROGRAMME

The Speech read by His Exce),b,encv ; the Governor at the .opening of Parliament yesterday does »ot contain any sensational anteowtifce-metits. It' is, nevertheless, & plain and straight-: forward review of ; the principal happenings during the recess, and givesa short sketch of th.s present national outlook from the social-, coftmercial, and industrial, viewpoints, he-, sides indicating oii: b-i'oa'd fwd general lines the nature of the toiisisess. which the Government intends plae-. ing before ParliameM during the' present session. More than this cap hardly be expected in a GovernorsSpeech. One does i.tofe look for a,e,Mn- '. plete exposition of the .Government's. legislative proposals at this stage,. Like the preface of a book, the Speech, from the Throne can omly touch m •■ a few outstanding points, ka,ving the precise details to be placed be-' fore Parliament ftttd tho countey a,s- : the session progresses, Those pessimistic people who predk'tod that if* the Reform Party _■ obtained control: of the administration its advent to: power would bo followed by a period. , of industrial stagnation and coin-. 1 merciai depressioft W'ii'{, we hope, : join in the general -rejoicing that [heir gloomy forebodings have been ■■ flatly contradicted by fcho aetital facts and figures.' The Cfp-vernmftflt is ; in the happy position of bdiag able to congratulate Parliiiffieat- ijiii tile; "remarkable prosperity of the couij-; try. Trade, as cvidoijeed by the Cub- ■ tonis returns, has been unexampled,. The value of the exports f'roai our shores has reached aij imp'rece-cle-nted height and the imports rbpreseat in money's worth an amount sever before equalled. On ev'ery baud there are signs of advanccmeiit." Faets like these cannot fail to make the dolef'nl prophets look extremely foolish. This phase of the Opposition atiatk, like so many others., eelhtpjjes when confronted with the Hna.ssailaofe argument of plain facts, The Government has already placed on the Statute Book a large part of the policy set out in the programme which the Reform Party put before the people at tins'' last general election. A good tt&n-l, however, still remains to be done, and the next instalment is foreshadowed in the Governor's Speech, It shows that the present session is goim: 1.0 be an important one, and if the. policy proposals are to be carried through

successfully, there must be no unnecessary ilclay ia bringing them forward and pressing them', through their various stages. The Opposition will no doubt do its utmost to stir up trouble and black the pro.grass of business. It, therefore, behoves the supporters of the Government to avoid playing into the hands of their opponents by undtio talkativeness or by wasting time in any other way. They must go forward with energy and detev to make, the session fruitful in good worki One of the most urgent measures is the reform of the present wasteful and otherwise unsatisfactory system of grants and subsidies to local bodies for development purposes. This is a matter of vital importance, especially to country districts.- the idea- is not to curtail expenditure, but to secure a fairer apportionment of the money ava.ilabfe, and to obtain better results from the money _ spent, The need for a change' in this direction has been long felt' and discussed. Another matter of great practical importance is the improvement of the mod-trs. of communication in isolated districts. It is interesting to know that settlement is progressing, but it is not ■much use- putting people ©.» the land unless they are brought within reach of roads and railways, without which they cannot have communication with the t&wns and cities and get their produce to tnarket. Country settlers will tUerefove.be glad to find that Parliament will be called upon this session to consider a progressive scheme of road and railway eMUstriietioii. Practical measures Of this kind, the benefits *?jff which arc tangible and .unmistakable, form a striking contrast to the shadowy promises and professions of Aliti-Ro foi-rows. She platitudes of Mb. RusspLt, for instance* ■ may sound very fiae, but they Will neither Brake rtads for settlers aor jirovide homes for workers. .. . ih» Legislative Council ficform Bill_will again. ceae np_ for consideration. In this, eonftection the Government announce that it has been found necessary to make further appointments to the Upper House in order -to, ensure tse passing of the Bill, a«l also'for the purpose of daaling with the grmeml kgisktion of the country. The further improvement of our education system is another matter which will receive attention. A-first instaknettt of the Government's policy of education ro-fot-iri was placed on the Statute look last session, ancl this is row to bo followed np with a still more important measure,, the aiffl of, which is to improve the conditions of employment af teachers, besides making the m&tjiods of education more ef&etivc. The Minister of Education has given a great deal of attentiaa to this mat-tern a-»d the, details, of his proposals; will be awaited with raseh iftferesk Parliament will also be tailed upon to sanction an extension ■of the vsys.te.rn of workers' homes, a-nd measures,' olt&liftg with a vurteiy of ■ether mattal's, including amijndreient's in the, licensing laws, will he. kitr-o-dvtced. Eeferring to the, ■ Biblo-iii-Sehools -question the Speech au-HB-uiiees that Parliament' will be givert a-,n Bp-jj-o-rtunity during the Mssioii of- deciding whether this watte f shall be submitted to the efer>

tors by rftferendarft at the elMSttiug general _ Lika the l-iqu-or probfam-, the qiiestioti.. af 'Bifela-reail-. ittg in .spheofc lies o-utiiide the ordinMy political arena, ' and breaks tl.iMmgh the recognised party divisions. Tim onte satjsfh'otafty»Way of---sttibg the iiiti'o-yqrsy iS''by an : appeal to the-'people them'selves'i 3Vho uwn attd pay for .the schools. Mji. HAx.tN put the. position fiiiriy and convinriogly during the discussion' <m Hi'!' Si&ey ? s Bill in 1905, when he stated- that th-sviajh ho was- ■ personally opposed to Bi.bk--roa:4i'ng in. the ■tehsois, yet as -a Liberal he did not deny the right of the people to- a clii-eefc veto on the siibjeet and t» se-ttle the jua-fcter for thernselves, It wonltl,- .as. 'Hit. Sbsdos i-i-a-d said, b& imdcnn-QCPatJc to refuse the- peiple the opportunity,, tinder ftsed and fair aaadiiions, &f expressing their ioii on the siibject. The Bef&'eiidiirn Bill indipated in.the Governor's Speech will ho doubt give the people this opportunity-