The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” THURSDAY, MARCH I7th. 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” THURSDAY, MARCH I7th. 1921.

THE LIBERAL AMEXDMKXT. Mm Wij.koiui'n amendment to the Ad-dress-in-Reply, is a good one. It is the logical summing up ol the position. There is highly important business to be done, and Parliament should do it leisurely at the proper time, and not in a rush session just before Christmas. It should not matter that the Premier is abroad. He still has a very full Cabinet u> direct the situation and lias a docile majority .strong enough to do ;is |t is bid. The Government position is impregnable. .-u that to postpone Parliament at such a critical time fiu'aneiitlly (as the period looming ahead) is not sound administration. There are some eleven Ministers in all. and if Mr Massey is perforce absent, the remaining ten should Ik* able to carry on the business of the country without the proposed prolonged interlude while the Prime Ministar is at Home. When the late Air Seddon attended ait Imperial Conference, lie laid down the sound precedent for Parliament to proceed, and we know that Sir Joseph AVaid acted as Premier during the big man’s absence. It will be recalled, also, that the then Opposition which included Mr Massey, went out of its way almost to praise Sir Joseph Ward on the tact he had displayed in conducting the business of the country during his political chiefs absence Now, why cannot the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, <■ some other Minister, take charge and let the urgent business of the country be dealt with in good order and decorum—not shelved, and to be rushed later with ill-digested legislation. Surely, Air Alassey does not wish the country to infer that his team is so weak that there is not a capable captain among the number for a few weeks’ period of Parliament! In selecting an acting Premier he proposes to ignore the elected members . of the Ministry and has chosen Sir |

| F. R. Bell, an appointee to the Upper i House, to be the head of the peoples’ executive. It is rather a burlesque on 1 democratic government, and no doubt ; the debate proceeding in the House : will traverse the point in question. Mr j Wilford's amendment asks for the session of Parliament to meet as usual in . late June and get on with the business instead of waiting till September or , October for the pleasure of Mr Afassev’s return ft is doubtful if the country will be able to wait that long. ; From what Air Alassey has indicated , to the House this week, the financial outlook is gloomy. Money is not only tight, it is scarce. The loan lias not been subscribed, the surplus has disap- * peared, with little hope of replacing ii t. The Government contemplate more borrowing on a rising market. The Government permit local bodies to increase their interest payments no to 6% and that is going to make money dcaroor and dearer all round. Commodities are not going to bring the prices tliev did, nor are markets to lie found regdily. The Customs revenue will decline because imports must m>oessnrily ftill off very materially, The

A'c/ine in business will reduce the ncomc tax payments. This is a doleful catalogue, but every instance mentioned is a reason why Parliament should •be in session as- usual to sec that the business of the country is carried on soundly, Mr Massey has at last dared to breathe the word '‘retrenchment” in the public service. It has beep inevitable for a long time past, and the Minister has dallied with it to the country’s detriment. The cost of the public service has got to be reduced, for with interest payments rising, the lavish expenditure going on all over the.country suggests that- the possibility of national bankruptcy might be a subject for earnest attention in tile not distant future. We rend already that private firms arc disposing with portions of their staffs. Individuals are feeling the pinch of the times, and they are acting before it is too late. There is going to be less employment, for the country cannot go on at the old rate. Above all, there must be more production all round, and there should be a Government in office strong enough lo control the eccentricities of employer and employee, so that these gentry will not in their own way. and good time sport with the public as they wish. The Government require to be kept up to the mark on this point, and Parliament is the place where the pressure can be put directly oil the administration, ll is therefore of high importance that Parliament should not b,> unduly prorogued and the Liberal amendment just bits the nail on the bead and should set people thinking.