The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1915. PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2589, 11 October 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1915. PARLIAMENT'S FAILURE

' The closing days of the session are proving sadly disappointing, if .not disquieting.' Where there should be strength and earnestness and unity there are evidences bf slackness, pet-, tiness, and paltry disputations.over trifles. Instead of members concentrating their energies and . s their intellects on tho big issues of. tho gravest hours of the nation's history they- waste much ' of their, time in heated discussions over matters whioh by comparison are so pathetically insignificant that one w'onders whether some members will ever realise what this war really means to us., Somo of tho debates have, been of an almost ohildish oharacter. They would have ■ been inexcusable'at any time l . ' Hours havo been devoted to the discussion of the reports of Committees which might easily have been disposed of in minutes.- On Thurs- 1 day the. Prime Minister, _ making protest, against this 'condition of things," stated 'that he had been given to understand that it was intended to go on wasting the time of. tbe House every afternoon until the session concluded. Several members emphatically denied that a'ny_ concerted plan of obstruction existed; but whether there was any deliberate arrangement of this kind or not, tho fact remains that a continual flood of useless talk has seriously retarded the normal, progress of business, with the result that the session has been unnecessarily prolonged, and Parliament lowered in the eyes of the country. Th%'debate on the motion for leave to-_ introduce Mb. Hohnsby's Protection of Members Bill is a striking example 'of 1 the manner in. which tho time of the House bas been frittered away in unreasonable and unseasonable disputation. Thousands of New Zealahders are risking their lives "for us on the Gallipoli battlefields; tho problem of sending these gallant men the reinforcements they need has become an >urgcnt one, calling for the whole-hearted efforts of_every public man in the country to aid in its solution; the people generally are eagerly looking for inspiration'and guidance from those in high places—and the Parliament of New Zealand gives its attention to frivolous and futile talk about its own privileges; whether' members shall ■ havo the right tjo move the adjournment of the House, and the need for increased travelling allowances for South Island mejiibers, l and so on.

• Me. Parr undoubtedly gave expression to the feelings of tho general public wb?n he declared that he was amazed at suoh •'« farcical waste of time. But) it is something more than farcical. If Parliament acts in this way what are the people to think ? How can the young men who are being urged to enlist to serve their country in- its hour of need bo expected to realise the urgency of that call when their representatives in the Legislature, who should know tho facts of the position, act as though fchoro was nothing moro important at stake than the paltry political or porsonal issues over which they continue to wrangle"! How can the people of the Dominion be expected to rise to the greatness of the occasion when their representatives hot only fail to set them an inspiring example, but conduct themselves as though the war and ' all that it moans to us were quite secondary considerations? It is true that many members do not' act in this way; that many of them have shown a propel' recognition of their duties/and obligations; but the fact remains that Parliament, especially during the past few days, has hail lapses into depths of pettiness,which at a time. like the present call for the strongest reprobation. Tho country lias a right to look to Parliament for leadership and inspiration, but there has been little in the House of Representatives of late to which tho people could turn either for guidance or incentive to higher endoavour, The' desire for a clear aifd stimulating lead was referred to by the Rev. A. M. Johnson in his sermon at St, Paul's pro-Cathedral last night. _ He voiced a very general opinion when _ ho protested against Waste of time in' Parliament, and expressed regret that the session should be allowed to eoncludc without, some authoritative declaration on the question of national organisation ftiid & maw iMnlte qI wfeftt is ssfleatea txm m

the way of public scrvicc in connection with the war. We have been told over and over again that the whole of the forces and resources of the Empire must lie mobilised if we arc to win in this unparalleled struggle. We have risen to tTie heights of a National Ministry, with its fine promise of an end to internal political discord and party strife, while the war lasts; and yet we cannot oven at a time like tliis csca'pe the pettiness which has crept into our Parliamentary. life.