The Daily News TUESDAY, JUNE 30. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 162, 30 June 1908, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, JUNE 30. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Notwithstanding the prediction from inlluential sources that the session of Parliament which opened yesterday would pt'ol)ably be a short one/ Government has provided a menu sufficient to Keep members lully occupied for a much longer tenn than I hey were anticipating, unkvs considerable expedition is nmniIcsted in tin- consideration ul' the programme. .Much (it the promised legislation is oi a nou-contentjous character, but much also, because ol its extreme impoitance. is of a character that should provide a good deal of debate. The Government s decision to remove the embargo against industrial expansion in tin- .State's monopoly of the whole of the Dominion's water 'power is opportune, particularly as the Government is not prepared to launch out into a huge borrowing policy. The Second Ballot J:i(l should not delay succeeding business many hours, but much interest will be evinced iu the amending of the Arbitration Act, and Mr. .Millar's proposals in the direction of harmonising the interests of employers and employees should provide one of the keenest' dobates ol the session. General satisfaction will be felt, in the districts alleeted, that the Premier has lost no time in providing lor the removal of the disabilities of European holders of Maori leases in native townships. The National Annuities Bill, the underlying principle of which is the encouragement of thrift, needs only actuarial endorsement of its soundness to ensure its almost universal acclamation. The proposed change iu the system of audit is not likely to lind much objection, particularly as relorm in this direction has 1 been one of the main planka in tlie Opposition platform for some years. I'robably the most pleading paragraph in the speech in the directness with which vigorous promotion of roads and telephones for our backblocks is promised. Likewise it is satisfactory to note that there is (o be no halt in Die extension of closer settlement, and main lines of railway now in hand (amongst which ranks the Stratford-Ongaruhe) are to be pushed on to an early completion. An increase of the naval subsidy is to be provided for. and, backed as it is by the unanimous support of the Farmers' Cnion. the addition of another .-COO.OfHI • per annum to our contribution towards national insurance, is not likely to be seriously opposed. It is generally agreed that the training ship experiment cannot prove its worth within the present limited confines, and the proposal to undertake the training of New Zealanders in marine pursuits on more comprehensive lines is a step in the right direction. It would seem that the education question is a( last to be dealt with on a more satisfactory basis, and substantial increases in the stalling of schools is promised . It is. of course, impossible to say how closely the promised legislation accords with the deductions in the speech, but it would eerfainlv seem to be based oil more rational lines than the existing system. In the foregoing, only the more important features of the legislative programme have been indicated, but sufficient to show that, if members are to realise tlivir desires for a short session, and at the same time do justice to the Government's bill-of-fare, there will have to be less gall-.'iv talking and more strenuous application to work.