FIRST THINGS FIRST.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2778, 24 May 1916, Page 4

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

The House of Representatives decided yesterday afternoon that for the remainder of tho session Government business shall take preced--eneo on Wednesdays and after local Bills on Thursdays. This means that no further time will be wasted this session in fruitless discussion of private members' Bills. It was only natural that those private members who have Bills on the Order Paper

should express their disappointment at this summary treatment of their legislative proposals. But it is extremely doubtful if any of their measures would in the ordinary course have reached the Statute Book this year, and a quick dispatch is sometimes preferable to a lingering death. Some of the Bills were better than others, but the House wisely decided that the best policy in the circumstances would be to treat all alike, and it was resolved by the large majority of 35 to 13 to postpone consideration of the whole bundle till a more convenient season. This step is certainly in accord with public sentiment, and will meet with general approval. Me. Witty was one of those who protested against the motion to eliminate private members' Bills from the business of the session, but lie cut the ground from under his own feet when he remarked that discussion is no use unless it has some tangible results. This was his answer to the Prime Minister's assurance that the House would still have opportunities of discussing such questions as the cost of living and war taxation. No one j can seriously pretend to expect tangible results from debates on private members'' Bills at the present juncture. Such futilities are quite • out of place just now. If any of : the proposals contained in these Bills are of really vital importance the National Government should take the matter lip. As regards the question of rents, for instance, the Prime Minister announced that the Government intended to deal with it, and that a Bill with that object was now being prepared. Mn. _ Massey told the House that, the giving of precedence to Government business was not intended to do.away with opportunities for criticism, but only with the opportunity for wasting time. That is no doubt the proper way of stating the position, but Ministers should bear in mind that the motion carried yesterday increases their responsibility as to the conduct of business. They would lay themselves open to strong censure if tho time of the House should be wasted through any shortcomings or lack of readiness on their part. The House seems to bs in the humour to do whatever is really necessary to be done, and to do it in a businesslike way. If the Government is wise it will push on with the session's work while members are in this working mood.