The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1930. THE COMING SESSION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1930. THE COMING SESSION

Tliu session of Parliament shortly to open is being looked Howard to with considerable interest for several cogent reasons,. The advent of a new Ministry is always- of some concern io discover its pract.cal force, while in this instaneo the Prime Minister has made a pleasing impression from his frankness in stating the national situation as ho views it. There is also the indication that proposed legislation is well advanced, and the session promises to be a busy one fiom the outset. 'lbis is not only because of the special importance of the work to he done, hub time is important likewise tor Mr Forbes, wbo very properly seeks to represent the Dominion at the Imperial Confeience. It is ot course highly essential that the Prime Minister as the head of the Government should lie the personal representative on smell an all-important occasion. There will be general approval with the intention to get down to

business forthwith*, and to avoid any waste of time. Mr Ransom, as tlie first lieutenant of t lie new Government, lias also given some impress of the politieal outlook, and it is altogether satisfactory that the Ministry will I'ae Parliament with a courageous determination to carry on, and with a policy of performance which will indicate the ability of the Government also to retain office, even if not a dominant party in numbers. First and foremost, the Finan ial Statement will he ready for the House within a fortnight after Parliament opens. This means that the debate on the Address-in-Reply w.ll not last more than two weeks. If this anticipation of an early discussion of the Budget is duly fulxillecl it will be doubly beneficial. For it will enable members to consider administrative and depar I .mental proposals with a lull knowledge of tJie financial position, and at the same time it will relieve the public of the painful suspense always produced by the threat of further taxation a.nd help everybody to adjust his affairs in accordance with the. altered circumstances. When these preliminaries are settled, Parliament will be called upon to consider a long list of important mdasures. The working of the railways and the prospects of profit or loss will* come up for consideratin, and in view of file financial stringency which the Prime Minister lias already so strongly emphasised full information is to be supplied to the House to enable it to decide whether various contemplated additions and completions are likely to earn interest or not, The burning question of Unemployment js ,to '■ be diseußfiecl at length with a view to devising systematic and permanent methods of relief. The Workers Compensation Act, the Shops and Offices Act, the Comoanles Act, and such farreaching public questions as Transport and Education, all find their place on the programme, which promises to make the coming .session e continually busy. 11 is natural that the best part of Parliament’s work should lie transacted in the second session, after the new members have “found their feet” and before our political world inside an 1 outside the House, has begun to be distracted by the prospects of a coming election. But formidable as are the tasks that await members this year, the Government does not intend to lie unduly hurried, and the Prime Minister will not feel free to start on his voyage Home unless and until all the important controversial business that is to come before the House has been disposed of, and the position of the Cabinet and the party is definitely secured. When once the political situation is assured, and all the important business of the year is satisfactorily cleared off, it will be the Prime Minister’s duty t 6 leave the control of public affairs to his colleagues and to proceed to London to take part in tlie Imperial Conference.. It is a matter of great importance that the Dominion should be represented appropriately and efficiently at the Imperial Conference and at the coming Economic Conference also, and the public interest, as well as established precedent, demands that our Prime Minister, when ho,has discharged his responsibilities here, should appear ajul speak for us in the Councils of Hie Empire at Home,