WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

THE ELECTION OF SPEAKER

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, June 25

The opening of Parliament yesterday, though it seemed to attract less attention than usual from the public, was marked by one or two incidents ol more than ordinary interest. Tile sole business of the afternoon, this being the first session of the new House, was the choice of the. Speaker and perhaps it was a happy augury for the future that the two principal parties joined cordially in the re-election of Sir Frederick Lang. Mr George Hunter was the proposer of Sir Frederick and Mr Leonard Isitt his seconder, a happy distribution of the chief roles in the ceremony which deprived it of all party colour and constituted a particularly appropriate compliment to the new Seaker. After Sir Frederick had taken the chair the Prime Minister and the Hon \V. D. S. MacDonald, the leader of the Liberal Opposition offered their congratulations, but Mr Holland, the chairman of the Labour Party, did not think it necessary to join them in their usual courtesy. AN INDEPENDENT. When the members were seated in the House the most notable feature of their distribution was the occupency by Mr 0. E. Statham,. the member for Dunedin Central, of a hack bench on the extreme left of the Speaker. Mr Statham, quite one of the most capable of the young men in the House, has nevey accepted complacently the irksome restraints of the party system, and during the recent election campaign he declared himself an Independent. It was expected in many quarters, however, that when his party returned from the polls with a thumping majority he, at least, would go back to his old place in the House. Hut it seems that his independence was not merely an assumption of superior political virtue, but a deliberate conception of duty lie was determined to put into practice. He probably will share his jjaek bench with Mr James Craigie, another proclaimed Independent, and between them they are likely to keep a critical eye on all the other parties. THE LABOUR PARTY. Mr H. Holland, the member for Grey, has been appointed Chairman, and Mr .J. McCombs, the member for Lyttelton, whip of the official Labour Party, from which the lobbies gather there is to be no reapproachment between this little group and the Liberal Party. Whether this should be the case or not, however, will not matter very much in the near future, as the Liberal Party evidently is intent upon helping the Government rather than hindering it during the present session, and though there are bound to he differences of opinion expressed it is high. Iv improbable there will be any set trials of party strength during the present session, at any rate. The independent Labour section has been strengthened as a result of the election and though it will not busy itself with making itnd unmaking Cabinets, it probably will exercise a stimulating influence on the progressive members of the House. THE SESSION’S WORK. On all hands it is admitted the session must be a long and arduous one. The business already in sight is more than sufficient to keep members in Wei. iington for six months, and those coming from a distance will have occasion to think themselves fortunate if they get away in good time to eat their Christmas dinners in their own homes. The new Ministers all have been busy ascertaining the requirements of tlieii Departments and they have found them to be many and pressing. Most of Mr Massey’s colleagues have promised legislation of some sort, always, of course, with the qualification “if time pci. mits”; hut the Prime Minister himself is quite candid in announcing that ail bath the most pressing measures mustwait till a more convenient season, perhaps to the last session of the present Parliament, or oven to the first session of the new one. Finance and publicworks are the matters of urgency and these must have first attention.