Parliament and the War.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15269, 4 May 1915, Page 6

Parliament and the War.

Public opinion will support the Minister of Defence in his view that tho coming session should be short, and should bo kept clear of matters of controversy as much as possible. We are so far from tho scenes of war, and as a community so prosperous and so little affected, in tho material sense, by tho great conflict, that the ordinary political hostilities havo hitherto been much moro freely conducted hero than in Great Britain or Canada. But as tho months have passed the magnitude of the Empire's tr"-k, and tho stubbornness of the enemy's resistance, havo mado our people take a moro sober and serious view of affairs. Moreover, our own soldiers arc now in tho thick of tho fighting in Turkey, and their fortunes aro of far greater importance and interest than the conflicts of our political parties. Mr Allen points out that a s the northern summer proceeds, the violence of tho struggle will increase, and it is possible that we shall soon bo receiving periodical lists of dead and wounded New Zealanders. This supplies no practical reason why, when Parliament meets, tho Opposition should not devote their energies to party activity of tho usual kind; but nearly everyone will think that party activity in tho circumstances will be inappropriate and offensive. To _o them justice, the politicians on both sides, with tho exception of an occasional Mr Witty, have, on the whole, very properly held their tongues during the recess, so far as the ordinary topics of dispute are concerned; and wo hope they will adopt a broadminded course of action when Parliament meets. There is no legislation,

apart from legislation arising put of tbe war and its effects upon the management of the national estate, which i 5 clamouring for attention in the coming session. In tho past the first session of a Parliament has ordinarily been regarded as of no great importance, so that a short "war" session,, given over to war legislation, will be not less fruitful or valuable than ii there wero no war, and Parliament followed the precedents. Tho Government, of course, cannot effectively ask for a suspension of normal hostilities unless they confine themselves to war legislation, and to such nonparty matters as can conveniently bo dealt with. but tho Government will no doubt willingly give ample assurances on that point. The conduct of the session rests with tho Opposition, who can make a beargarden of the House by means of party •violence, if they choose. We have seen some suggestions that the first duty of tho Opposition i s to forget all about tho war as s-oon as Parliament meets, and devote themselves forthwith to a siege of tho Government. "We havo not seen, in any responsible Opposition quarter, any suggestion that party strife should bo suspended, but it is difficult to believe that the Opposition will be so unwise, and so indecorous, as not, when the time comes, to adopt Mr Allen'6 view as to the right course to bo pursued. There will be plenty of time and opportunity in the sessions of 1916 and 1917 for tho resumption of hostilities, for all of us, of all parties, are at one in the hope and expectation that tho enemy will be vanquished and peace restored beforo another autumn comes round.