The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1916. THE POLITICAL, VEIL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2732, 29 March 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1916. THE POLITICAL, VEIL

The extreme caution and reserve with which the National Government has permitted itself thus far to talk about the approaching session of Parliament seem to be hardly : necessary. _ In ■ the days before the war a period of mystery and expectation ■ before each session was taken for granted. t The art of politics had resolved itself very largely into going one better than the other fellow, and politicians naturally were at pains to create a state of public expectation upon which they might hope that their policy proposals—the revelations of the session—would break with telling effect. Sometimes, perhaps, the poli-r ticians were mainly anxious to avoid playing into the hands of their opponents giving them time to work up opposition and counter-proposals. The effect produced was much the same in any case: the ' pre-session period was one of mystery and expectation which the actual revelations and events of the session often signally failed to justify. So far as the strife of parties is concerned, these things are set aside for the it could be wished that they were'done with for good and all, but at least there is no room for them while the Empire is at war. With a Rational Government in office, and the whole country substantially of one mind in regard to the main questions before there does seem to be any reason or justification for continuing the practice of mysterymongering in connection with the treatment and conduct of public affairs. The Government's attitudewould have been better attuned to the circumstances of the time if Ministers had taken the public frankly into their confidence in regard to the reasons for calling Parliament together before the'usual time, and the nature of the programme to be laid before the representatives of the people when they assemble. Can any good reason be supposed to exist for the Ministerial announcement concerning the early assembling of Parliament being confined to the illuminating statement that the Government will submit a certain amount of business tb the House, and the House will sit until the business is .finished ? Grateful as the public must be for crumbs of information like this, so much might almost have been imagined. At any time the question of a frank and open treatment of public affairs is worth raising—though no doubt the people have themselves to thank if a custom has arisen of staging political effects behind a curtain, to be exposed with becoming eclat at an appointed time—but the question is doubly important now since it is very much to be doubted whether the procedure adopted' by the Government is calculated to ensure the best and most efficient treatment of the affairs with which Parliament will havo to deal when it meets.

If the Government, to take a particular instance, had frankly declared that it intended to ask Parpass a measure instituting national service, either straight away or in the event of the rate of recruiting still further declining, much would have been done to give firm and definite shape to a situation which essentially lacks this quality. At present we are in a sort of transition state, most unfavourable to the efficient promotion of recruiting. • It is felt that compulsion is coming, and no doubt it would be welcomed by the great majority of people in the country, but a condition of uncertainty exists which the Government has done nothing move to resolve than by a general statement that compulsion will bo resorted to if necessary. What is needed is a stronger and more definite lead, and it should have been given long ago. Much the same applies to questions of finance, pensions, and other war legislation which will presuuiv l ably be laid before Parliament. All

the great questions now claiming attention demand open and free discussion, not in Parliament only, but in the country. This obviously is the way to arrive at sound measures of policy, backed by a united public opinion, The broad lines upon which policy should run in regard to recruiting, war finance, and other matters are easily enough determined. It is chiefly in regard to details that differences of opinion arc possible, and that discussion throughout the country would do good by exposing fallacies and giving prominence to essentials. The danger is, as matters stand, that concrete proposals laid before Parliament in the way of a surpriso packet and dealt with under the methods that Parliament affects, may very ineffectively roflect tho desires of the public and rheqfc the needs of the time. Since there are now no. party, interests or ends to bo served there can surely be no objection to the Pkime Ministke mapping out a broad programme of war legislation —it will, of course, not be extensive —and inviting the country to assist the Government and Parliament to give it effective shape. Bankers, business men, and others in Great Britain have duue much to second and assist the Imperial Parliament in its treatment of war problems, and similar benefits might be experienced in this country' if the necessary scopo were afforded. For the time being it is denied by the secrecy and reserve of the Government, an attitude presumably to be traced to essentially . bad political traditions, and maintained now in circumstances upon which these traditions have no legitimate bearing. Responsibility undoubtedly rests upon the National Government for the fact that, except possibly in the case of recruiting and war pensions, there has been little practical discussion in the country of the war problems with which New Zealand is now called upon to grapple. It is not enough that the Government should take such immediate measures as_ it deems necessary and submit this or that item of legislation to Parliament. As much, for practical purposes, would be done in a country subject to bureaucratic rule. It is above alHho duty of Ministers in a democratic country to awaken and lead public opinion and promote tho intelligent discussion and understanding of current problems. At the present time in New Zealand comparative indifference and apathy obtain in regard to several problems which by and by will insistently claim attention. We are moving towards a time when easy progress and development on borrowed moneywill bo more or less a thing of the past. That wo shall have to rely henceforth, much more than we have been accustomed to do upon our own resources may be taken for granted. This means that wo' must practise thrift and energise production in every possiblo way. There will have to bo more reliance upon direct revenue an'd less upon borrowing; and in details an abstention from luxuries and concentration upon essentials. Tho problems thus arising— and in some vital respects they demand immediate treatment and action—have received as yet much less attention than they deserve. .At this time all potty interests are supposed to bo subordinated in a supreme emergency, to a common interest and purpose. In such circumstances it is disappointing to find a National Government making a mystery of its policy proposals for an impending session as if they were a party sur-prise-packet.