TIME IS NECESSARY.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19903, 4 June 1936, Page 6

TIME IS NECESSARY.

Tuesday was not one of the Prime Minister’s best days. He had to repeat the assurance that the high exchange rates would be reduced~but not just at present. In addition he announced that the promised restoration of cuts in salaries and wages would have to be. delayed, and also the promised increase in pensions. Developments such as these were inevitable. No Government, however willing, could have done all that the Labour Party promised the electors would be done immediately. The working of the legislative machine, the drafting of the necessary bills, the consideration of details by Cabinet all impmc delays, and probably most people realised that when the promises were made. The Government has had a session into which the maximum amount of legislation has been crowded. \\'hether the nlpuslu'es have had sull‘ivicnt attention is a moot point. They were of great importance and should have been analysed with care.

However, if some people should grow impatient waiting for the Government to redeem its promisesy Mr Savage will have no cause fol‘ umnplaint. He was always the must definite with regard to what would be done immediately. He had a list of I‘3 points which he read at most of his meetings, and the first wan: “Immediately restore the cuts in pensimw." while No. 3 read: “Restore all cuts made in wages and salaries." These statements were based on the, official manifesto of the, party, and. referring to wages and salaries, that dueument mid: “ The immediate restoration of all wages and salary cuts." Nearly eight months later Mr Savage, speaking with some experience of office, has had to admit “that the matter is not quite so simple as it appears on the surface." In other ways the need for time is being reengnised. The law drafting: ofiiee the Prime Milk ister stated, was wurliing at considerable, pressure. That ('an be well understood. The drafting experts must have had a particularly ditlieult time. and probably the recess will not afford them anv respite because ("uhinet will he engaged on the next stage of it's legis_ lzuive programme. The probability of the office being overburdened was mentioned by erities of the Government prior to it n>suminw otliee. but Mr Savage said thzlt no delay would be permitted. I; “operate-may xunro draftsmen would he employed in order that, the work might ht- kept up-tu-date. It takes some years to train a law llrat’tsinan and tuqla)’ the head of the. Government has to ailvnnee the pre>>ure in the «lral'tiug (illii'e as unc Cause of the delav in intruduring certain measures. I

'l'lu- mmmr)’ rvnliws tlmt lllf‘ Ministry has lwon working :it top ‘1‘““1- It mu>t ll:l\'(‘ (lump so to produvo the numerous Bills that lmw Im." infl'tnlllt‘t‘tl in this .\‘lmrt sominn. Indeed, the burden that [ms t‘ullcn nu tlu- .\l‘|0\ll«ll‘l‘.~' of the Minister of Finuuuv must have lu-vu uxvt-miunnlly lit-.u'y. and the rost he should obtain, when travelling to and from lmutlun. will have been fully earned. The Dominion has: no reason ta rugurtl speed in the passing of legislation as (my \‘lV'lHl‘. and it' the Prime Minister were to outline a tlii'ee~yeul' legis~ lnxiw progrnxmnu probably flint «nurse would be widely \\'Olcnmud. 'l‘lu- ntliviul pnlit-y would he .\ufiir'ieut to r'ovrr flu! W‘riody and that; iu the CALL‘uL UK the mandate :tccurdcd thu Government.