WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1920, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE SESSION. POLITICIANS GO CUPLESS. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov. 5. All prospect of the session ending on Friday in time to allow members to get away to the New Zealand Cup vanished early in the week. Mr. Massey himself realised that he had crowded rather too much into the last, week, and that it would be impossible to keep to his schedule with any measure of decency: The Liberal and Independent sections of the Opposition were ready to assist him, within reason, but the Labor section positively Tc-fused to be hurried. The members of the party seemed bent upon giving their constituencies full time, if not full value, for their increased pay, and it must be admitted there was a good deal of reason in their attitude. For the usual reasons, which may be good, bad, or indifferent, the Government had reserved much of its important legislation for the expiring days of the session, and it would have been quite impossible for the rank and file of any of the parlies to have given it studied attention had the Prime Minister had his wav.

TOO .MUCH LEGISLATION. The position is giving point to the revived complaint, coming from both sides of the House, that, the country is inflicted with too much legislation. One of the oldest members of the House, and one of the most capable and observant, whose leanings, with a large measure of independence, are towards the Reform Party, referring to this subject to-day, said that Mr. Massey was not a greater offender in this respect than Mr. Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward had been. Mr. Seddon and Sbr Joseph Ward appeared to be obsessed by the idea that the electors' ultimate estimate of the quality of the Government would be, formed on the size of the Statute Book they produced. Mr. Massey, not to be outdone by his predecessors, went on multiplying and amending Acts of Parliament 'with the prospect of making New Zealand the most be-lawed country in the world. This critic holds that with half as many laws the country would be much better" governed, and that with less Bill-making Parliament would have time to attend to the things that matter.

I A CHIVALROUS OPPONENT. That chivalry among political opponents is not yet dead was very happily demonstrated in the House of Representatives on Wednesday night. The Native "Washing-up' Bill was under discussion, and it had been hinted during the course of the debate that its author, Sir William Berries, might find if. necessary to lay down the portfolio of Native Affairs, The Hon. A. T. Ngata, the member for the Eastern Maori District, speakin" wjth obvious feeling, expressed a warm hope that this would not be the case. Sir William, he said, had tempered justice with mercy in his dealings with the, Natives, and had won their sincere regard and entire confidence. "If anything should happen lo make the honorable member give up his portfolio," he added, "I should be one of the first on behalf of my race—not of my party—to regret his dieision. I hope he may see fit to retain his present position and to devote himself to a service in which he has done so much for both races and for the country." It was a high tribute paid by a chivalrous gentleman.