THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office ----- Main Street ’Phone 28 – – – P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dalhmore’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1926. PARLIAMENT AND PEOPLE.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 150, 16 September 1926, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office ----- Main Street ’Phone 28 - - - P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dalhmore’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1926. PARLIAMENT AND PEOPLE.

A FURTHER session of Parliament has just ended. Because of its promise at the outset, and its record of achievement since, it is perhaps one of the most disappointing in recent years. By a judicious use of the finest of all means of publicity, the Coates Government secured an overwhelming majority. The leader seemed to be the kind of man most countries have sought for since the war, to handle their destinies. Secure in their majority the. party was expected to deal with fundamentals. Instead of this, Bills, Acts Amendments, Commissions, Regulations, Orders-in-Council and sundry other things have been jostled through with almost indecent haste. Indeed, most of the measures have been condemned by Government organs, and some of them admitted by' Ministers themi selves to be in need of amendment * next session. Men of long standing in their professions, and with the ability to speak with authority, have pleaded for more time to consider and construct in a statesmanlike manner, such bills as the Town Planning, Family Allowances, and Omnibus Control Acts. They have pleaded in vain. Elected to infuse more “ business in government and less government in business,” the Coates Party has distinguished itself in tinkering with trade. The party’s official organs have been consistent in their continuous condemnation of Government methods. The Christchurch Press has loudly condemned the leading Government measures, and pointed out in scathing terms the fundamental weakness of the Family Allowance Act in that it discourages thrift and encourages a belief that the Consolidated Fund may be relied upon to supply the wherewithal for all social ills. The Dominion joins in the hunt, and the New Zealand Herald describes Government procedure, in relation to the Agricultural College Bill, to be “ worthy of immortality in comic opera.” To help stabilise land values and put the farming community on a more . stable footing, a commission was sent j to tour the world. Though the mem- ' bers were men of widely-divergent * views, so impressed were they with the work of Agricultural Banks in other countries, that they agreed to drop minor differences to enable them to present a unanimous report in favour. Their recommendations have been pruned so as to be almost unrecognisable in order that no conflict should be made with a leading proprietary bank. While the High Commissioner’s office in London is making every effort in Britain to induce farmers to settle in New Zealand, the Minister for Agriculture publicly states that there is no land available jj for settlement. While the same Min- | ister nails his colours to the mast with reference to the Agricultural College, the Premier proceeds almost immediately to tear them down. Of all the diversions of the session, however, the member for Waitemata lias supplied the most entertaining. Mr. Harris launched a grave charge against his own party and stood by his guns when castigated by the Premier and the Acting-Leader of the House. Where there is smoke there is generally fire. Despite the lesson of the boom period, £60,000 cash was paid for. 10,000 acres of land at Gisborne. Two owners have been thus handsomely dispossessed in order to settle five others. This produces a net gain of three farmers at a cost of £20,000 each. The wonder of it all is not that Mr. Harris spoke out so clearly and defiantly, but that he was I alone in his speaking. Such is but a part of the peculiar record of the present Government. et as a subordinate Minister the Leader of the Government had a wonderful record. A record which is almost diametrically opposed to-that detailed above. There may be no one direct cause for this extraordinary conflict, and such causes—as of course there must be—may be somewhat coni fused. Political jealousies, political i inexpediencies, the influence of big i business—never so strong at any period of the world’s history—may all play their part. One factor, however, must not be overlooked. There is an old saying that a people get the leadership they deserve, and it is here we think that the main fault may be found. Until the peoule as a whole realise their responsibilities as electors such political procedure will hold sway. The average New Zealander is not well versed in the olitical game. Not half so well as Iv's brother in the Old Country. There is, of course, not the same economic-pressure— placed upon him to study the various ques-

tions, and it would appear that herein lies the solution of the present unsatisfactory methods. A consciousness of the pressing needs of our times must be encouraged and instilled if reforms are to be secured, and first and foremost of these is the fact that New Zealand depends on her farmers for her existence. cent of our exports come from the land, which so far has but been scratched instead of farmed in an intensive manner. Yet despite this fact little is being done to encourage settlement, or more production, or check the drift to our already overcrowded towns. Until this factor of the country’s dep t endance on the land Iv completely recognised by the community at large, and a healthy public opinion created, so long will our troubles continue.