The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, -NOVEMBER 5, 1919. THE SESSION AND AFTER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 35, 5 November 1919, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, -NOVEMBER 5, 1919. THE SESSION AND AFTER

• Its severest critics will be bound to admit that in the very short session which is now ending Parliament has put through a remarkable amount and variety of useful work. This record is all the more creditable since, apart from the limited time available, the activities of the session have been impeded by altogether exceptional difficulties. When the political leaders returned from their mission to Europe only a few weeks before Parliament was duo to assemble, there seemed to be rather poor prospects of giving anything like adequate attention to tho urgent national problems that awaited attention. The outlook became still more unpromising when, on the eve of the session, Sir Joseph Wakd and his followers withdrew from the National Government. There would.have been some excuse for the Prime Minister and his colleagues if in those circumstances they had put aside the thought of a working session and decided npon the earliest possible appeal to the country. Instead, they applied themselves with energy and resolution to an exceedingly difficult and arduous task and in the outcome are more than justified. A hasty reconstruction of the Cabinet was followed up by the submission of a legislative programme in which tho most urgent needs of the country are fairly met, and it must be added that on the whole Parliament has seconded the. enterprise and initiative of the Government in the right spirit. In little more than two months it has dealt with a volume of business which might easily have kept it fully occupied during a session of maximum duration. Besides devoting some attention to Uio neaee settlement and related affairs, including ■ the new responsibilities the Dominion has-undertaken, it has set new standards in the passage of highly important legislation. Financial provision has been made on an unprecedented scale for the repatriation of soldiers and other items of after-war reconstruction, and the much-discussed question of soldiers' gratuities has been settled on a basis which, in spite of some partisan criticism, meets with general approval throughout the conntry. The legislation of the session includes an impressive array of helpful and constructive reforms. It includes one of the most drastic enactments ever framed against profiteering, a Housing Bill which leaves little to be desired , so far as financial assistance to those who wish to acquire homes is concerned, and a Land Bill which promises to operate usefully not only in making land rapidly available, for soldier settlers, but in promoting settlement generally. Time has been found also to effect necessary adjustments in war legislation, to extend pensions benefits in some directions, and to deal with railways salaries, mining law, and various other affairs more or less important. No one will pretend that Parliament has covered all the ground that might be covered with benefit and profit to the country; indeed, there are already strong arguments for holding an early session next yea*. Isut all must agree that the session, has been highly productive and that the obstacles to working progress which were in sight when it opened have been overcome in a manner altogether praiseworthy. Credit for l.hesa achievements is due first and foremost to the Ministers who have toiled early and late in circumstances extraordinarily unfavourable to methodical activity. Probably there never was a time, in the history of the Dominion when Ministers were saddled with heavier burdens or acquitted themselves bet- | for under the strain; But something more than the unsparing efforts of Ministers was needed to make the creditable record of the session No such programme of legislation as was nut through could have been handled if members had not for the most part addressed themselves to their duties in a reasonable spirit and with an avoidance of party bickering. Such clashes as occurred between Ihe main parties, notably on the question of fratuitics, W( ' n! the riirc excention. The only persistent note of discord in the. House of llenrescntntives was struck by the Labour-Socialist extremists. P v roadly speaking the temper of the main parties throughout tho session was one of working harmony and the reason obviously was that they found themselves in substantial agreement on essential questions of policy. The session lias made important additions to tho evidence already in sin-lit on this ooint, and demonstrated more clearly than ever that a fraud will he practised on the country if, as now

seems practically certain, the election is fought on pre-war party lines. As clear an indication as could ho desired of the absence of any real divergence in policy between the main parties is afforded in tho demeanour of tht Leader of the Opposition. In most cases he gave, full approval to the legislation submitted by the Government, and aa a whole this legislation covered a wide range. On the other hand in the interests of party display lie has taken up an irresponsible attitude in _regard j to public expenditure which is inexcusable in one wiio only lately relinquished the portfolio of Finance. - At. times, of course, Sir Joseph Ward has solemnly rebuked the Government for Us allegedly extravagant borrowing proposals, but his own advocacy of borrowing and expenditure, in his policy manifesto and on various occasions during the session, has been marked by a reckless imprudence which he himself would bs bound to denounce if he were in office. Apparently in bidding for popularity he is prepared to ignore absolutely the imperative necessity of enforcing economy at every point where it is possible. The whr-lo financial problem is, of course, complex. It js not' more necessary to study and practise economy where it is "called for than to launch out bcldly in expenditure on development works which are capable of yielding a quick and profitable return and facilitating an increase of population and an expansion of pn..' duction. But no one could pretend that Sir Joseph. Ward, since he set out. to re-establish party division", has maintained a balanced attitude on questions of national expenditure. His ruling idea seems to be to advocate expenditure not on tbo merits of a given case, but with an eye to winning the favour of sections of the This is a dangerous policy and one that may do a great deal of harm. Another admission of the true position in the relation to parties appears in a speech made on Monday last by Mr. G W. Forbes, the Liberal Whip and candidate for re-election in Hurunui. After stating his belie! that the best class of Labour members •wro quite willing to work with tho Liberal Party if it were returned to power, Mr, Forres observed thai "i. number of Reform malcontents'' were going to stand at the election as Independents and he believe:! that if the Ward party were not returned in a majority it -would secure the assistance of these Reform members. (')ontorted as it is for party purposes, this is a plain confession that there is no real dividing line 1 etween the main parties In the House. That fact is fully apparent ti all n n pre judical observers and ought to determine the lines of M

election. The, ewnlir.l agreement of the main parties on matters of policy has been clo.moiisfratod in nn arduous session. It is assuredly 'not the intcvests of the country that arc considered by. those politicians who propose now to revert to party strife.