RUSHING IT THROUGH

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 8 September 1926, Page 6

RUSHING IT THROUGH

That big majorities in Parliament, while satisfactory to the party in power, are seldom of advantage to the country as a whole, has never been more clearly demonstrated than during the current session. A Ministry which is so firmly seated that it can afford to suggest that one of its own supporters should cross to the Opposition benches is in a position to do just as it likes with its Legislative programme, and that is the way things have been done this session. The time of sitting has been curtailed to an extraordinary degree, yet efforts have been made to build up a Statute Book a little above the normal of a session half as long again. The method of doing business has been extraordinary. Bills, which might have been discussed in the early stages of the session, such as the Licensing Amendment and the Gaming Bills were kept back to the last few days and then dropped because they were contentious, but other bills of little less importance than the licensing amendment, introduced in the eleventh hour, were rushed through with only a tithe of the consideration they demanded. The Town Planning Bill, for instance, was admittedly unsatisfactory when it was forced through committee, and then vital changes, undisclosed by the House, were made in the Council. Even after this the I'rime Minister admitted that the Bill was not satisfactory and would probably require amendment next year. That is of a pieccwitli the Reform Government's methods,, for more than half the Bills introduced this year were designed to amend and patch up earlier legislation, which has proved to be defective. A tradesman, whose work was so careless, would get very short shrift, but apparently inability to do this work effectively is no disqualification for a member of Parliament.

The Customs Amendment Bill is an example of present legislative methods. Kcsolution and Bill were both passed by the House within two days, although a vastly important issue was raised, the ultimate effects of which could not possibly have been appreciated by members in the time available. The Family Allowances Bill, introducing an entirely untried principle, got 'about the same measure of consideration, and in this fashion the legislative machine has sround its output. Private members have little s-ay in the manner in which discussion shall be undertaken, the responsibility rests almost entirely with the Government.