The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1015. A MEMORABLE SESSION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2591, 13 October 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1015. A MEMORABLE SESSION

/The 1915 session of the Parliament of New Zealand, which waa brought to an end last night, will bo regarded as a memorable one. The war has made its influence felt in every phase of our national life, and the spirit of unity whioh pervaded the whole Dominion in the face of the Empire's peril made itself felt even in our party politics. Thore was a very general demand for a cessation of party strife, and the formation of a National Ministry was felt to be the soundest course to pursue and 1 the one. best calculated td ensure a proper concentration of -the energies of those in office on the issues associated with the grave crisis with which the nation' was confronted. Members have, on the whole, succeeded in rising abovo the smaller issues of political partisanship. There have leen occasional lapses into the old methods, but-, generally speaking, the House has shown itself mindful of the special obligations imposed by the times. It is true that some of the debates which have taken place during t-ho last few days have fallen below that _ standard of high seriousness t which should characterise tho deliberations of Parliament in' these anxious days, yet it is only raw to state that the tone and temper of the discussions on matters connected with the war have been in keeping with the strong Imperial sentiment which has manifested itself among all sections of the community. The formation of a National Cabinet is an event which is in it-self sufficient to give, this session a unique placo in the political annals- of the Dominion. The experiment was attended by somo risks and misgivings; but it has- undoubtedly justified itself. It has worked smoothly and on the whole satisfactorily. The National Ministry may not have realised all expectations. Its methods of grappling with some of tho pressing problems whioh the war haß created have sometimes been lacking in boldness and decision. It seems at times to have underrated the willingness of the country to make the sacrifices necessary to enable us to bear our .full share in the struggle. But, when full allowance is made for such shortcomings, it must bo recognised that the National Cabinet has done a great deal of useful work in spite of many and groat difficulties. Naturally the greater part of the session was devoted to the consideration of war finance and war legislation. The Budget was of an unprecedented character. New forms of taxation had to be devised in order to find the money required for paying our war bill. Some of- the expedients resorted to are open to adverse criticism, but, in view of the exceptional state of affairs, one is to press objections or mako complaints. It is satisfactory to know that the latest figures just issued by the Minister of Finance indicate that the revenue for the first half of the current year has been well-up to that of the corresponding period of last year, and that the outlook in this respect is quite up to expectations. The people of New Zealand are ready and-willing to provido the Government with all the money it requires for purposes of the war. There will be no grudging in this connection. There must, however, be strict economy in the administration of all the ordinary Departments of State. The Government has promised to save money wherever it is possible to do so without impairing Mis efficiency of th« Pub.lic Ssi'vicfl, A commendable effort

is being made to keep the expenditure oil public works within reasonable limits. _ Ths temptations to extravagance in this direct-ion are very great. In a young country like New Zealand there is an unccasmg demand for schools, and post offices, and railway stations, and a variety of other requirements, and thc_ urgent 'appeals for Government assistance are hard to resist; ■ but Ministers seem to have made up. their minds to do their best to confine expenditure as far as they arc a-blo to absolutely necessary works, and in this policy of rational economy they are entitled to the full sympathy and support of tho general public.