TOO LATE WITH REPORTS.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1926, Page 8

TOO LATE WITH REPORTS.

When reports are presented to Parliament in the early stages of a session it is seldom that members cannot find quite a lot to say about them. To a Government anxious to hasten the progress of its business, these frequent and sometimes inquisitorial and longwinded, discussions cannot always be welcome, pspecially if there is a risk of a debate being "talked out," thus possibly requiring another afternoon to be set apart for concluding it. This session it has happened that important reports have been allowed to lie on the table without discussion. They may have slipped past the usually keen watchfulness of the occupants of Opposition benches, or perhap3 the Opposition have decided that further occasions will arise which will give them better opportunities of discussing whatever may be in the reports, • for it is often complained that the system in vogue by which members are supposed to be able to launch into a debate on a report directly it i 3 presented, although ignorant of its contents, is rather absurd while difficult to follow. .Of course, if a Government wished to burk discussion it could leave over the presentation of some reports until fairly lato in a session, but it is: usual to bring down the principal ones before the Main Estimates are dealt with.

Yesterday' several reports were brought down.

The Loader of the Opposition (Mr. H. B. Holland) said he thought that in future sessions important reports should be laid on the table of the House earlier in the session. No member could have an opportunity of discussing the latest reports even before the Supplementary Estimates were dealt with.