PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2773, 17 May 1916, Page 4

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS

D That it is the clear duty of members of Parliament during the prcscnt_ session to concentrate their attention on war matters should be as obvious to politicians as it undoubtedly is to the general public. This is no time for the airing of opinions on more or less fanciful proposals, the consideration of which can well be postponed till a more convenient season. The Order Paper which was placed before members when the House of Representatives met yesterday afternoon contained a list of no fewer than thirteen private members' Bills which have passed tho first reading stiage, and the order of business included leave to introduce nine others. A few of these twenty-two j Bills deal with the affairs of local bodies, and, ■as they may refer to matters which require immediate attention, the/ cannot be summarily brushed aside even in war time; but the Government would be quite justified in asking the House to refuse to permit the progress of the essential work of _ the session to be retarded by futile discussions on questions that do not matter at the present time. Tho legislation of the session should be confined to questions of vital importance, and legislation of this sort should be treated as Government business. The vain debating of all sorts of political fads and fancies may be tolerated by a long-suffering public in the easygoing daysof peace, but such costly waste of time at the present juncture would ho intolerable, Membors should focus their attention on the task of making New Zealand's contribution to the Empire's fighting power as great and as effective as possible. Hobby-riding is certainly out of placo just now and ought to bo severely_ repressed. Parliament should set its face resolutely against indulgence in legislative frivolities The session should bo made a war session from beginning to "end. By declining to fritter, away its own time and the country's money in debating private members' Bills, Parliament would show a proper regard for its dignity and for the feelings of the community.