The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1914. THE END OF THE SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 7 November 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1914. THE END OF THE SESSION.

Parliamentarians and the public alike will be relieved at the closing of tho session. It has been a trying time for Ministers, whilst the rank and file, since the outbreak of the war, could not be expected to take a very deep interest in the matters that came up for discussion. As for the public, its interest in the doings of Parliament has been very superficial; it gladly would have welcomed the decision of the Government to postpone the elections for a year. In ■ not adopting this suggestion, which had the support of the Opposition, the Gov. | ernment has made the same mistake that cost tl»! Australian Federal Liberals its seats a month or so ago. Few, indeed, would have objected had the Governme»t decided to give, the country a year's rest from politics. The country's interests would not sutler by a period of legislative inactivity; indeed, it might in many respects prove an advantage. But tliere is, unfortunately, little chance 'of politicians voluntarily suppressing themselves in this way. They sincerely believo that legislative action is indispensable to the progress of the Dominion. It would be quite futile to endeavor to show them that our sheep would go on multiplying and growing wool, the cows giving their milk, tee fields their grain, the ships conveying the produce to the markets and bringing the goods we *eI quire, whether Parliament sat or not. It was a unique opportunity to give the, country a much-needed legislative spell, and allow it to digest a little of the vast Statute menu that has "Been prepared. It says much for the condition of the country and patience.of the people that, in addition to tho thousands of Acts held to be necessary for proper government, that last session over a hundred public Bills were passed, besides private Bills. Britain would be appalled if she wcre_ asked to accept such a mass of j legislation in any one year. Going I through the formidable list of Bills, one is strin-k by tho .great proportion of amending measures passed. This' is one I of the penalties of legislative pioneering. I Nearly every year the Banie patchwork | gees on. It is in some measure due to la.-te and ill-consideration, often to lack ! r,f forem»ht and ignorance of the lessens el' history and political economy. Turning to the Bills passed, one of the most important was the Legislative Council Act, which makes the Second Chamber elective, and at the same time entrenches the nominees of the present | Government for some years to come. ; ft is a very doubtful experiment. It ! would lie far better to have wiped out the ,'v.Hwed Chamber altogether. The local Railways Bill is an excellent nicasure that should specially benefit Tara-i-.aki, where it originated. The Railways Improvement Act, on the other hand, is I a im».i:.ure whirh could easily have been ! held over for another live or ten yeirs. I U provides for building new stations in | the be? centres, duplicating suburban j lii':".!. etc. It is very much like a settler j ir -ling elaborate buildings on a section j beWe he ;Vts down his hush. But 'the < Goven-.n-e-jil. has any amount of money j to burn. In the current financial year! loc.im ae:ii':gating marly twelve and a,' half millie.!!:-'. have been authorised. IV- j ouclmg the war loan of two millions, j i-'r.h! i, which no one wii! say anything, it i- a fo.ie.hhiMe. iu-vas- for a Cover:;- j r.ei!t that pl-d-vi! iUdi to reduce bor-i\Mvi;-g. The ciVation system !i^ s ],„ pn j improved as a remit of i'no p ass iiTg of | i 1 " F.!"e;!i\.:i,.Aet. ami tie- Aid lo Public! T '-iv ; :- !.vn,d SetUeme.-il \l should 1 5-M bii.'k.bLck sailers i:, ohi:.:r;iiur :! ■«•-:• i'f. y ],.,,., 1,,,,,,, ,;,.,,;,,,, f , vr yi ,..,.^ Aboe.ta -hse-n Acts r; ;■<■ .-a:red to' meet irsny l!i!!. ; were, postponed. The author!-i-atio;- o: -,!:,- To i:oti-Gi-!ii!a!:e railway, with the vote'of £.|f),(Ki<) f„ r & cousin, -linn, is a recognition of the jii.-.i cabins of Ninth Tarauaki for improved' transit iaci'ivic.-., vi-iVt the grants for impvou::;- the main Xorth l!oal from' Mourn, .M,--.,eug:-r to To Kuiti will eon-i

f. r a sn;.,j:ii,tial benoht upon tliose district,: and (!!,■ Iravi'llin;.' public pviioii'..",v. '!'!';■ v,ne for the Stratford Sh\m Trnvh \i-;.- is a {.ri:!o than la.-,t ';■ o!'k of s'iU'l: national imnori.".:ice. t'n■f'lrtiinr.lrly, the eliwo of the sossion is brin- i:enied:at:dy followed by political and >iu llcons:' Mhiich musi: ca'i-.- a ei rfain amount oT foclinir and diii'eron.e that are distinctly nndosirabio at -.".■ b a time of national stress, when ail so.vfioM-, of the public should be harn,oni,.:i -y workimr loovlher. Still, liitfc'.-".'--. can be ol'nnii'ated very largely, end e:sy! f, ,-linpr preserved, if candiiial.es aid rlicir more ardent iu]>porters '.■ an only re ; ;trai:i 'thcmselvi's, anil detf'.'nii;:,' on jjluciii.E; the interests of the. Kmpip' and their own country before