WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

(Our Special Correspondent). Til EEI /ECTi Vls EX EC U TIV E. AIR STATHAAI’S FORLORN HOPE Wellington, Oct. 20. Tile debate oil Air Statliani’s Elective Executive Bill in the 1 louse of Reps on Monday night did not soar to quite tho same heights as did the debates on a succession of similar Bills introduced by the late Sir William Steward in the “old days.” It was less academic and more personal and yet singularly lacking in animation. l.Tobabjy tlie certainty of the rejection of the Bill by a large majority prevented either its■ supporters or its opponents taking tlie discussion very seriously. Then it was a .Monday sitting and several members who might have imparted some “vim” to the debate were not in their places. The House still is resenting the Government’s early appropriation of a weekend evening. THE HORRID EXAMPLE.

The opponents of the elective executive principle, from the Prime Alinisle.r down to Mr David Jones, one of the latest recruits to Air Al assay’s big battalion, all quoted the National Cabinet as a “horrid example” of what would happen if it were grafted on to the parliamentary system of the country. Mr Massey without exactly denouncing the National Cabinet, went the length of deploring its impotcncy on account of its lack of unanimity, and Air Jones, out of the abundance of his inexperience, declared that the National Government was “almost an elective Executive.” As a matter of fact, the National Cabinet, in its constitution at any rate was just about as iar Horn what Alr Statliam was seeking as everything that could be conceived.