WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1933, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT FIRST LADY MEMBER (Special, Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 22; Apart from the presence of Mrs E. McCombs, .the tew member for LyHelton, in succession of her deceased busband, there were no -striking features either in the Legislative Council or in the House of Representatives at the opening, of the third session of the twentyrfourth Paid-ament yesterday. Ciis Excelincy the -Govei'nojr-General disposed of. bis part of the proceedings with, his accustomed grace and tact and having accomplished , these-- formalities he left the two branches of. the Assembly to their owp prescribed proceedings. As. with tlie meeting of Parliament, so with the reception extended by Mr and Mrs Forbes to their guests on tl:e. conclusion of . the formal proceedings. Mrs McCombs was the observed of all observers and the recipient cf the wannest greetings.

His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral was able through his “Speech from the Throne” to convey to the Assembly a very satisfactory account of uie conditions of the various islands for which the Dominion is responsible lie had been able to v sit during the re--cess of Parliament. “I was”, His Excellency said, “particularly gratified to note the absence of all evidence of ser- , pious privation in those islands - (in spite of the inevitable setback in their .economic prosperity) and the watchful .care of their normal material welfare exercised by then - respective administrations. . . I trust these visits may prove to have assisted n cementing happy and sympathetic relations between those who have the responsibility of Native administration in the Pacific.” ' Hut Excel lemay has’done well in > emphasising this matter. There still are big things to- be developed in til? broad Pacific.

It is unfortunate that His • Excellency’s personal view of the mandated territory of Western Samoa and the Island of Rarotonga cannot be '.minediately applied';to.this end of the Empire “The utmost ’effort to meet the situation i s being maintained by my Government,” says His Excellency on* the best of reliable faith “to retain as many person's as possible 'in. their normal oc-■dupa't-iciiTS. ', M/' r'vous rnhemes tof relief have been put into effect to ease the position, and asdstance. as liberal as possible, ds : ' being rendered to those who ape without work.” All this- is true :£iircl obvious enough, but it st. 11 is doubtful if the Government yet. has discovered’the best means of dealing with tlie‘ iirtemploymeht problem. A spting and a summer are at hand, but rin autuffrlT'and .aVrnter are noc so far off ' . ’•

' "Perhaps'Mr; H. ;E. Holland, 'in applaud’ihg Mrs E. McCombs as the first lcctv member in New Zealand’s first?. •Labour Parliament hfis been a little premature; Mrs McCombs has explored quite as much public 'life as Mr Holland himself lias done- and perhaps experienced even more. Her late husband himself probably was the best informed Labour member of the House of Representatives during ,K s twenty v.ears of q-ervice, and Mrs McCombs today can be little behind any of the colleagues of her late husband. Maybe she has nob had- the , experience in tactics and in speech her present leader has lmd. but she has qualities which he. had disregarded. It will not be' surprising if in the long run she finds herself able to keep pace with the most capable -of* her associates, or better.