Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1923, Page 2

Ai'"n-:it all the alarms and excursions on tlie part of Turkey, there are at last outward and visible signs that Turkey is well satisfied with the results of the protracted bargaining at Lausanne anil when the jieaee treaty is finally signed to-day there is going to be much rejoicing in all Mohammedan countries. In Constantinople in particular, the faithful will hold many religious observances to mark tho saving of the Turkish exodus from Europe, as was decreed by the first treaty. Turkey has gained enormously under the new treaty, the outstanding advantage being that silo still remains in Europe. But all the advantages are not with the Turks. Material lienelits fall to the other nations interested, including the establishment in secuiitv of New 'Arabia, whence a groat nation may grow. Then there will be the internationalisation of the Dardanelles, for which the British navy fought, and our own men fell at Gallipoli. Turkey herself will he free from the influences of Russia, and tho Allies themselves will have severed a. gordiau knot in the Near East which will leave them freo from entangling policies, and more able to pursue their own inclinations untrammelled by alliances written or implied which imposed obligations often involving or threatening great national cost.

Ar/moi'cu Parliament lias boon some weeks in session, (lie business done reminds us i f Toby's comment- in Ptim-h, ‘■nil." Tins address-in-replv, with its sequence of no-confidence motions, and the flow of oratory which constituted tho discussion on the budget, probably will fill many numbers of the Hansard volume, but the statute book so l'ar is very thin. The tactics pursued have probably favored the Government which is not in a happy nor a secure posituion. The chairmanship of committees is not filled yet. Mr Nash was being “tipped” as the possible Government nominee, but Sir G. Hunter, a white headed member of tin 1 Reform Rarty, is nominating Mr Young. Mr Young hails from Hamilton where lately tile Reform League there expressed no-confidenee to Mr Massey' because Mr Bollard in place of Mr Young bad been included in the Ministry I it lias been lobby talk for some time past (hat Mr Young and three other Reform members have hinted that they are not satisfied with the position. So we may assume flint Sir (i. Hunter is bent on a friendly act to save the face of the Government by securing the election of a ine.mlwr of tile parly whose defection at this stage it would not bo pleasant to contemplate. But what of the feelings of Mr Xash and Palmerston Xorf.li ;

It .would apjK-ar. therefore, that a political game is in progress affecting the Government more closely than the average onlooker might conceive. Tho loquacity of the Opposition, has, however, lather played into the hands of the Government, which if left to its own devices would have been compelled long ore this to disclose the political programme for the session. As it is. the Prime Minister is still able to temporise and talk platitudes more or loss aba-eking to implied promises. The session it is expected will not extend over the last Saturday in August, so that actually there is less 'than five weeks for the real work. Such Iteing the case there may be expected the usual rush, of business, the dropping of any seriously contested measures, and the passing of a good deal of ill-di-gested legislation. Reform seems to lie required within Parliament. A ti:esome addre-ss-in-reply debate at every session might well be omitted, seeing that the same ground is traversed again immediately after on the financial statement. .At the meetings of any new Parliament, the Government should bring down its policy for the life of the Parliament, and that discussed, the members should get on with the passing of the necessary legislation.