The Dominion SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1920. A WORKING PARLIAMENT
It was often said in pre-war days, not without justification, that the first session of a : trionnial Parliament was usually devoted to marking or wasting time. No such reproach is applicable to tho session which closed on Thursday nightl On the contrary, not very many' sessions in the history of the New Zealand Parliament outrival it in the volume and importance of tho business- transacted in the timo at disposal. Although many of tho 105 public Acts, placed upon the Statute Book arc of a detail and routine nature, tho items of legisiar tion which rank as im'portant aro numerous and cover a very wide rango. In the conditions that obtained before tho war such a programme would easily ■ havo been spread over several sessions and would hardly have been carried into cffect without a vast amount of preliminary talk and electioneering display. Our first post-war Parliament, however, has already given satisfactory proof that it is eager to satisfy popular needs ana demands by getting, things done instead of talking about them. Indeed, at times the rapid and unimpeded .passage of legislation has in itself given some grounds for criticism, but on the whole the verdict of any fair critic must be that Parliament and the. Government aro moving with the times in their readiness to, discard prejudice and deal promptly with questions on their merits. Good working pro- j gress has, of course, been not a little facilitated by the . fact ■ -that | party lines as they were formerly drawn are tending to disappear, lb is an unqualified gain to the country as well as to Parliament. that in the presence of really great and urgent problems, the largely artificial differences over which tlio main parties were content to wrangle in former days are fading into insignificance. The wide scope of tho session's work, and the bold departures in policy <5r method it involved, appear even in the most cursory survey of the more important items of legislation dealt with. In the domain of taxation, sweeping changos were made which will 'extend appreciable relief to the parents of families, while increasing the rates payable in the higher grades, and death duties were substantially increased. While these aspects of tho taxing ] legislation are to bo commended, nothing was done to remedy tho injustice suffered bv tho share-1 holders of joint stock' companies, j who aro liable to'be taxed on the highest scale, irrespective of their personal mean's; With this exception, however, the alterations made in the incidence of taxation were on the whole liberal and in tho line of democratic progress. Another important financial measure authorised a loan of six millions with which it is hoped to round off the great work of repatriation and soldier settlement which has now been carried to an advanced stage in conditions of which the Dominion and its soldiers are alike iustly entitled to be proud. One of the most important policy measures of the session dealt with immigration, it provides that residents of other countries than Great Britain and Ircla-nd may be refused admission to tho Dominion as immigrants unless they have first obtained permission from the New Zealand Minister op Customs by written application before leaving 'their . own country. This is decidedly' the most promising step yet taken towards overcoming tha difficulties that attend the restriction of undesirable immigration. Parliament did not overlook the claims of education,, emphasised as they now are by a wide and growing recognition of the vital place, it takes in post-war reconstruction. Salaries in the teaching profession, as in all branches of the Public . Service, were substantially increased, and the extension of the ago of compulsory attendance at school to fifteen is an instalment of a reform,which is likely to be carried further in the near future. Progressive reforms are embodied also in the Act which provides for the constitution of a Board of Public Health and gives increased powers and responsibilities to local bodies in matters oE public health. The legislation of the session iucluded a number of Acts which though they, involved no new departure in policy yet,rank as of considerable importance. Conspicuous items in this category are measures consolidating theja'w in refer' enw. to counties and municipalities, and another which .amends and strengthens, the housing legislation of earlier sessions. • Benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act were liberalised, and some addi.tional provision was made also tor military and other pensioners. The land legislation oi the session, thoueh of a detail character, is noteworthy as affording extended facilities in some directions for the acquisition of the freehold.
Apart from Joan authorisations and the sanction given for the construction of narrow-gauge railways,, no legislation was passed dealing' with public.works, hut.the session nevertheless marks the definite inauguration of a new public works nolicy from ■ which much is to bo hoped if it) is carried fully into effect. Although it had a somewhat unsympathetic reception in the House of Representatives, the policy outlined by the Hon. ,T. G. Coates in the Public Works Statement of concentrating on works in their order of importance is demonstrably sound. If this policy in to lie successfully established, howover,, it is essential that works should be undertaken and prosecuted in accordance with the advice of a board of competent experts. The reception given to his statement of policy and proposals for the current year ought to convince t'ho Minister and his colleagues that tho. constitution of a board of fchia chni>
actcr is •.indispensable if the policy of concentration is to lie effectively developed. It is much to b« regretted that the promised Bill providing for the Government control and maintenance of main'roads was for some reason post]>oned—the mow so since legislation providing for tho taxation of motor vehicles is also held over. Presumably the two things go hand in hand, but the position meantime is that' the Government is neglecting a source oi revenue" which is capable of contributing substantially to the cost of the road improvements which arc urgently needed. Legislation dealing with tho Government control of main roads and the taxation of motor vehicles for road improvement' purposes certainly ought to be given early attention next session.
Other conspicuous items in the list .of business postponed are tho revision of the Customs tariff and such amendments to industrial legislation as would provide more effectually than oxisting enactments l'or the prevention or settlement of industrial disputes. It is'clear that the revision of tho Customs tariff, at. least, could not possibly have been undertaken in addition to the immense amount of useful work actually accomplished during the past session. At a tim 6 when Parliament is faced by so many legitimate demands, as well as by many niore which arc incapable of being satisfied, it of courso would be easy to extend tho citation of the wore that ttaits. In any reasonable view, however, it must be concedcd that Parliament this year has set very creditablo standards of working achicvomont. A large proportion of the now members have shown themselves well qualified for their Parliamentary duties, and the reconstructed Cabinet has demonstrated satisfactorily that it) is an effective working combination. All who have followed the events of the session will agree that by his able and tactful leadership, the-Prime Minister has contributed not a littlo to its working results.
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Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 8
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1,225The Dominion SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1920. A WORKING PARLIAMENT Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 8
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