Politics With A Past

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 1

Politics With A Past

PENERAL opinion— probably not by any means ill-founded — seems to be that the Goates administration will go next election. It is. really better to speculate now m preference to that pre-election period when what is called "election dope" is being used tantalisin'gly as the carrot before the donkey. These are ..the^ questions:* (1) Has Coates failed? (2) If he goes, who is there ..in, the House at present . who can take control? And these; the answers: (1) Coates has not merely failed, but failed lamentably. (2) Any private member m the House at present- could do as well if not better than Joseph Gordon Coates as Prime Minister.

THERE are a lot of things which

the Government has nothing to do with.

TT is' pleasant to hear from the MinisA ter jthat P. Fraser's suggestion re insurance and assurance of work is being considered m relation to the unemployment problem. Although there are those remote few who look for work by shutting their eyes when it is about, it is no argument against the plain right to work. Fundamentally, m a young, vigorous country — which is always being/claimed by the. Government as young enough to spend mil* lions on for development purposes, the right; to earn bread and butter should be conceded' not as a privilege to be clamored for, but as a plain, genuine, legitimate economic necessity;

TT seems a wise and timely sugges- . tion from Avon's member Sullivan that future Public, Works programmes should be considered- and mapped out with' a. due regard to probable unemployment—and possibly immigration.

"THE . fact .that Members' salaries are *'' not to be increased will send a surge of disappointment through about seventy politicians* breasts. They were very hopeful, some of them. It«is rather surprising, though, to see it stated that Cabinet Ministers get £2 a day "above" actual expenses when travelling, and a free house or adequate equivalent amount. And some v Cabinet Ministers loVe travelling.

PUBLIC works. To maintain its Parliament.

THE incident of the departmental ■ officer whose broad- smile roused the ire of T. M; Wilford on the floor of the House, could have greater significance than the mere burlesque that was made of it. The very fact that departmental "heads" and officers are bundled Into the Chamber, on the gui vive for potential bullets for the Minister to flre'at the Opposition, shows, or at all events suggests, that Ministers are not always up to the mark of knowing much about the measure they are supposed to be sponsoring. In the past there have been some Bhocking examples of Cabinet Ministers, not knowing what was m the measure which they introduced. But Burely it is possible, m these hectic Parliamentary days, to permit a Minister to absorb the measure, from the departmental "head" instead t>f allowing officers to upset the so-called dignity of the House by jack-ass guffaws, Frankenstein grimaces and general bad manners, simply because the , Opposition happens to be speaking?

THE Opticians' Bill, providing for the "registration of opticians and . m other -ways controlling: the qualifications of opticians, seems to . be ill for another rejection slip. Of course, the measure will let a good few more^orless "dud" men who. now practice on the public get on to the register of the mighty. Looking m the distance, however, -it bids fair to protect bur eyesight through qualified men. The B.M.A. is reported to be antagonistic to the 8i11... As atmatter of fact, incompetent eye-testing usually finishes up with a B.M.A. "specialist." So what are they grumbling about?