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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9085, 9 May 1908, Page 4

The vice-regal residence in Wellington is rapidly being metamorphosed into a series of halls, committee rooms and offices for members of Parliament during the session which opens at the end of next month. The best that is possible will doubtless 'be done to make members comfortable, but it is probable that many and loud grumblings will be heard from those who for years have been accustomed to the luxurious accommodation of the old Parliamentary Buildings. It may, however, be a good thing for them to have to put up with a little inconvenience. Indeed, it would be a good thing for the community, for it would restrain to some extent the torrent of words which has so little effect upon the voting, which unduly delays the passage of valuable measures, and which costs money all the time. It might be of great advantage to the State if, instead of luxurious benches and sumptuously furnished anterooms and lobbies, the legislative chambers were plainly furnished'with uncushioned seats, and the other apartments made modestly comfortable. Long night sittings under such circumstances would be a rarity, stonewalls would be fewer in number, and the real business of the session would probably be greatly expedited. There has in the past been altogether too much luxury in Parliament Buildings for the goud of members or their constituents, and if the internal arrangements of the House were based on simpler and cheaper lines the State would in the end be the gainer in every way.

The Government regulation requiring inspection of potatoes (shipped interprovit(cially) at the port of destination has excited the indignation of merchants, and at a meeting of the Dunedin dealers, on Thursday last, it was unanimously decided to ask che Minister of Trade and Customs to grant permission for the grader to certify as to the condition of all potatoes "at the port of shipment instead of at the port of destination," as the matter was of vital importance to shippers. Obviously this is a reasonable request, and one s can harJly understand why the department should have docided otherwise. Why put shippers to the expen3e of sending cj.isignmo.its to other ports where they are ' liable to be condemned, when their inspection at the port pf shipment would settle at the outset the question of whether they should pass muster or be rejected? It is admitted that the regulations are net wholly bad, inasmuch as th'jy cause buyers to be very careful in securing only sound potatoes, and so prevent a glut in certain markets; but it seems an absurdity that the department should allow .shipments to be made with the risk of condemnation at the port of destination, when all that trouble and expense might be avoided by inspection at the port of shipment. But such ar3 the ways of the department.