Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1894. Less Talk.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1894. Less Talk.

It is refreshing to learn that an effort is to be made to amend the Standing Orders of Parliament so as to avoid obstruction and talk. If it can be done without violation to the rights of members it will be an excellent thing done, and we hardly see why it cannot be done. The work of a member of Parliament is only enlarged County Councillor work, and it is well known how much work Councillors accomplish to the square yard of talk. We fear ifc has to be put the other way about for members of Parliament. We have much doubts that little will be accomplished for thoso desiring it now, because they are in power, have the reputation of being the very worst in straining the Standing Orders when in Opposition. Hansard might go, it is a wonderfully deceptive work, it was supposed to chronicle the speeches made in debate, but it is well known now as merely a record of what members wished they had said. Still there is hope, Major Steward, we are told, has spent the last thirteen years in mastering the subject and he, perhaps, will be rewarded by being run out of the Speakership. If the Government are really iv earnest iv their desire for amendment, in the Standing Orders we nvan, we are assured that they are not in any other way, Major Stewra-d ought to be safe for the honourable office to which ho desires to be re-elected, | but then it i.s so hard to know the ' • difference between wh;il thf Gjveru- ! ment Hay they wain and what it is 1 they really do want, and therefore the election of a Speaker will tend to ' show what their feelings really are.

There are many other ways of wasting the time of the House besides those of straining the Standing Orders. These are the ways made so plain last Session, when the Government irritated members by refusing to properly reply to questions put. If this is to be a Parliament of work, which we should very much like to see, Ministers as well as members must give and take, and the more powerful they are, the less they should show it. We are a long suffering community and anything that will tend to decrease expense v.'ill be much appreciated, and we therefore trust that success may attend upon the efforts to improve the Standing Orders.