NOT THE TIME FOR FUTILE FORMALITIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 15 July 1929, Page 4

NOT THE TIME FOR FUTILE FORMALITIES

THE .appeal of the Labour Party for a speedy termination of the Address-in-Reply debate in Parliament must have seemed.' distinctly droll to those, who have seen the more than generous manner in which the'supporters' of Socialism have hssisted to fill the columns of 'Hansard" on similar occasions in the past. Mr Holland, the Party's leader, has been one of the greatest offenders in this particular respect—notably when he moved an obviously futile amendment to the Address-in-Reply when Mr Coates had the support of an overwhelming majority of members. Nevertheless, we are. convinced that a majority of the electors, even if they smiled at Mr Holland's well-known lack of a sense of humour, would sympathise with the reasons he advanced for the curtailment of a debate which more often than not is either a waste-of-time formality or else is prolonged to enable the party in power to make up for time lost in preparing its legislative programme. On the present occasion ifc cannot be claimed that the debate has done anything of material value in solving tho problems with which the country is faced, Tiot the least of which is that of unemployment. The Leader of the Opposition, in a practical speech, made it clear that his party did not propose to indulge i/i captious criticism, and that it placed the welfare of New Zealand first —as, no doubt, -both the other parties claim to do. He realised that no good purpose would be served by moving an amendment and refrained from doing so. Tt was a helpful speech and tribute was paid to it from the Government side of the House. The Labour Party leader's protest against waste of time in undue ' prolongation of the debate was the nextj most useful contribution. For some j reason, not quite apparent, the United I Party caucus decided that the debato j

should continue—"at least till the end of the. week." We cannot conceive the reason unless it is a case of "sparring for time"—possibly another result of the earthquake upset. Of the debate since then, little remains in the memory except some displays of amateurism by certain Ministers—not necessarily seriously at fault because of the amateurism —a weirdly quaint speech by the member for Matanra, some home-truths by Mr Wilkinson (Independent yet United), and a characteristically-provocative and I purely party paroxysm by Colonel McDonald. It is time the House settled | down, to the real business of the country. , -< ..' t£J9