ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 151, 5 October 1910, Page 6

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT

(From our Special Correspondent), Wellington, October 1. Dominion Day broke tine and kept fine, which was the very thing the doctor ordered. Old soldiers, soldiers in the prime of life, and young soldiers turned out in great force, and there was a sprinkling of legislators, all in reserved seats. They were not reserved in their expressions of admiration for the young soldiers and of condemnation of the authorities who failed to prevent the public from capturing the ground from the other soldiers who were to have shown off by the electric light. This was therefore a Parliamentary note throughout the proceedings. The crowd was immense. • * * * The cadets bore away the palm easily, some fourteen hundred of them. Mighty well they looked on the ground in their bright uniforms and more mightily well did tihey march past the Governor, keeping marvellous line and going with a swinging stride most admirable. The brisk movement of them, the brilliant faces of them, the jauntiness of them, the discipline of them so solid and firm; all these things it is impossible to describe adequately. One realised that it is the beginning of the system of training! wlmou v vi'i S' ve us drilled men and seasoned by the ten thousand one of these days.* One gr«t a clear meaning of the statement of he Prime Minister when moving the s cond reading of the Defence Bill—that in six years the v Dominion would possess H0iO;QO trained men. Twenty battalions of boy soldiers were impressive and everything was done just as if they were veterans on parade. A solemn inspection by the Governor, officers and 1 supernumeries in their places, orders toy the Brigadier, "The Brigade will slope"—wheeling, marching, the familiar orders, the drawing together at the end to hear the usual address. It dlid one good to see it all.

One of the legislators, it appears, was struck with but one thing. These boys were in uniform! Now a uniform costs money, but we must, now that we have determined to come into line of duty with the rest of the Empire, save every penny; therefore, the uniform, which is only a gee-gaw, must go. He demanded that it should go. He was told that the uniform of each boy costs Ave shillings and lasts five years. He relapsed into the silence he ought never to have quitted, a sadder and a wiser man—if that were possible, which is not for a legislator who has already reached omniscience. » * * » For the fiasco in the evening, when the crowd rushed the ground while the troops were lining the roads from Government House, it was a ghastly thing. The light was there in all its glory, and so were the troops. But they had to looTc on at the move, enjoying themselves in the place reserved for them. Some of the many colonels will get hauled over the coals for this, when the difficulty of sheeting the blame home to the right colonel is got over. When will that be? When the military system of this country becomes efficient. .*_....* * * • "" 'Perhaps the best thing about Bominioil Day was the spirit of enlightened Imperialism in the speeches of .his Excellency downwards, and the applause accorded to each of them. One felt that Dominion Day meant something to all concerned. * * # * This was a proper prelude to the final wrestle with the Defence Bill. When the measure got into committee there were men who opined that the success so long desired had perchance become impossible. Their idea was that the members had—after beating the big drum over the new system and Lord Kitchener —suddenly got frightened of their constituents, who .had been supposed to muster that they had had enough of conscription. The fear was nursed hy tke postponement of the chief clauses of the Bill, but it proved groundless, for the ] next day they were passed by a two-to-one majority, very nearly. The present men between 21' and 25 are exempted, it it true—that took the wind out of the sails of panic—but the principle is safe The selection clause .was expected to prove an even tougher point, but it was resolved between the sittings. The Prime Minister accepted the suggestion of the Member for Bruce to substitute 1 selection by classes for selection by in-, dividuals. The House accepted, too, without many -words. It will be for the Government to apply the system. It will not be easy.

The great thing is that the report Of Lord Kitchener has ibeen adopted practically without many words. It will be for the Government to apply the system. It will not fee easy. * * * • The great thing is that the report of Lord Kitchener has been adopted practically, only the beginning will be gradual. The new system will not leap into beinc at one spring like the celebrated goddess from the brain of Jupiter. But in the end it will be all right. The soldiers ot the Dominion will be under the law of court martial under the guardianship of the Press, .which is to be present, and the Judge Advocate-General, who is to advise everybody and protect the weak * * * * The Press is to have presently another sensation. Tt is to be present at the trial of the charges of Mr. Hine In- a select committee. That it will seize the opportunity is a safe bet. All parties have at last come to conclusions of practical sorts m this matter. Someone is accused of taking commission for the sale of an, estate to the Government throiHi til Land Purchase Board. As this w : >s called Tammanism, the implication that the Government profited in some unholy way is manifest. Hence the stress of the i many "Hine" days passed by the House. Ihe accuser cannot shelter himself any longer under any plea for delav There is the committee with the strongest men of the Opposition on it to protect his in- /!^~"? i f h ' hy the vm 7> is the interest of the whole House. For anvone to pretend that Messrs Massey, Allen, Buchanan and Fraser. with all the newspapers ' taking notes of the evidence, cannot see fair play is just too funny for words. the most striking thing about it all is that the Prime Minister is criticised by Ins friends for being too senwoiis to Mr. Hine m the matter. That Gentleman now must talk definitely lose caste. * * * * Estimates! and that is all the week except the passing of the Loan Bill through the Lower House after a desperate struggle on the part of the Opposition to get the schedule filled up with the list of railways set against the £80" 000 authorised. ' ' * * * * The Land Bill has not yet come out of n°7 e L a " d - the f o3t «*fHMi<wtio hunters are beginning to think it is useless to expect an appearance this side of Jordan But this Government excels in the unexpected. The situation is enlivened by the report that a freehold deputation is about to wait on the Cabinet with a copy of "the writing on the wall."