WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1921, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

WANT OF CONFIDENCE. . THE RIVAL LEADERS (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Sept. 26. Of course every party leader is entit- , led to his own views in regard to tactics and, within certain limits, to a. free ’ 1 hand in their application. But it is just a little difficult to understand why at this particular stage of the session Mr. T. M. Wilford, the leader of the Liberal Opposition, and Mr. H. Holland, the leader of the Official Labor Party, should assail the Government with amendments to the Address-in-Reply which must be regarded as motions of want of confidence. The text of Mr. Wilford’s amendment has not yet been announced, but it is fair to a.ssume that when it is submitted to the House it will be found to traverse tire policy and administration of the Government in such a way that the Reform leader will have no alternative to accepting it as a challenge to a trial of strength. Mr. Holland’s amendment has been framed, and is definite and explicit. It holds the GoveinAent responsible, for all the ills that have befallen the country since it office, and suggests that the country is tired to the length of disgust aud indignation with its long-continued maladministration. BEATING THE AIR. All this may be within the rules and ethics of the party game, but the futility of two sections of the House, bitterly opposed to one another and neither counting as many as a dozen adherents, hurling impeachments at a Government whose supporters outnumber theirs by at least two to one is obvious to every- I one capable of summing up the facts of the position. As likely as not Mr. Holland’s supporters will vote -against Mr. Wilford’s amendment, which must take precedence, and Mr. Wilford’s followers against Mr. Holland’s by way of retaliation. Something of this kind happened last year when the contending oppositions made independent attacks upon the Government, though it must be admitted that on that occasion official Labor acted less illogically than did official Liberalism. The point is, however, that the two groups, instead of beating the air in the lashion they are doing, ought to be serving the legitimate purpose of an Opposition, with such assistance as i Mr. .Statham’s new party can give them. | •in improving the policy and administra- ; tion of the Government. The question I of confidence or no confidence must necessarily be reserved for the general election. ECONOMY. It scarcely required the paragraphs in the Governor-General’s speech referring’ to the subject to impress members of j the House with the need for much increased economy in the administration ’ of the affairs of the country. Most of them have come to Wellington with; mandates in one shape or another from | their constituents to urge this crying ‘ necessity upon the Government and to: demand immediate action. One member, I referring to the position to-day, said it I was not merely a matter of retiring a | j few hundred superfluous civil servants. ; | This might give no appreciable relief, i ; What was wanted was an investigation I lof the whole civil service system by ! competent and independent business men and the adoption of their recommendations after their review by Parliament. 1 It might be said that Parliament could; not be trusted to do its part of the dis- ( agreeable business, but members were | so impressed by the gravity of the situa- | tion that they woum not dare to flout ! the considered advice of responsible ex- i perte. Even the Labor members, this; authority declared, were prepared to do ; their part towards reform. FINANCE AND TAXATION. Finance and taxation are going to occupy very prominent places in the proceedings of the present session, and already are being eagerly discussed in the lobbies. Mr. J. McCombs, the member for Lyttelton, who has studied both I subjects very closely for many years past, is receiving a better hearing than he ever has Jone before, and is bound to play an important part in the impending Rebates. He does not take the gloomy view of the situation that is de- ■ pressing many other people inside and outside of Parliament, and while insisting upon economies on the principle of "equality of -sacrifice,” he thinks a gre-it deal can be done to improve matters by the elimination of waste and the readjustment of taxation. He instances the method of imposing income ta:i upon companies as a negation of ail just and scientific methods of raising revenue. It j iri a clumsVj inefficient method, devised < for the convenience of a few officials. L and placing burdens on industry which ] should be borne by wealth. This, -it may be presumed, is the view of his col- j leagues of the Labor Party and the f pledge of their support to drastic re-11 form. j 1