MORE WASTED TIME

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 650, 30 September 1933, Page 4

MORE WASTED TIME

Mr. H. E. Holland lias dlstinguished himself by moving what is probably the longest motion of no-confidence that has ever been drafted and he is apparently prepared to debate it at equal length. It is apparently immaterial to Mr. Holland that he has not the slightest hope of carrying the motion and that this sorry farce can only waste the time of the House and the money of the taxpayers indefmitely without achieving any result. The country is well enough aware of the Government's shortcomings, real,and imagined, without this tedious repetition and Mr. Holland will not enhance either his own reputation or that of his party by persisting in the tactics which he apparently proposes to adopt. Last session when Labour wasted infinite time in stonewalling the Government's economy measures, there was some excuse for there was a vital question of principle involved and the Labour Party, with a sharply divided House, * had grounds for testing its feeling. The Labour Party has the same right on this occasion as the official Opposition, but it has no excuse for wasting time about it. It is stated in Wellington that Labour speakers are prepared to carry on the debate indefmitely and no doubt with controversy on one side, the Government benches will prove j equally voluble. This sort of i thing makes a travesty of politi- | cal administration and shows up | the glaring weaknesses of the j system at its worst. It cannot be argued, as it could have been two years ago, that the Government's programme is not prepared and thaf, if the address-in-reply debate collapsed, the Government would be left at a loss. Apparently on this occasion, the -Government's legislation is ready and waiting for the first time in the history of the Coalition. This is a small mercy for which the country could be thankful, if the Opposition would give it the opportunity.