The Dominion TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1908. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 237, 30 June 1908, Page 6

The Dominion TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1908. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

In a far greater degree than is usual with such utterances, the Governor's speech at the opening of Parliament yesterday was a document for the attention of the up-to-dato examiner in English rather than for the political journalist. Even if Parliament does not translato much of it into law, tho next batch of candidates for matriculation, if the University's examinors are tho men wo take them to be, will have plbnty to do in translating the major portion of if into decent English. It is a pity that when New Zealand " passed ■ from the status of a colony to' the higher plane of Dominion."—this swelling into grotesque bombast is presumably an . attempt' to make the languago fit tho idea—it was not thought necossary by his Excellency's advisers to make State documents studies in respectable expression. The slipshod and slovenly periods of the speech are the more noticeable from tho absence of any definite assurances respecting the enormous mass of legislation with which this hapless country is' threatened. There is practically nothing in the way of information in the Speech that has not been anticipated by Ministerial statements and newspaper forecasts in the past few weeks. It may.be summed up as an ungrammatical electioneering manifesto, crammed with references to measures which tho country , docs not require, and which, fortunately, the Government has not the remotest intention of passing into law. At only one' point does tho writer . express a clear political opinion, and that opinion happens to bo unsound. "'Several large estates," it is said, "have been acquired, and in disposing of them for settlement tho popularity of tho renewable-leas l ; system has been shown by the fact that the demand for sections has largely exceeded the supply." One might with equal reason claim that the superior " popularity " of biscuits was shown in this city yesterday by tho fact that tho absence of bread had' placed tho biscuit-barrol in strong' de :

mand. The truth is that tho land hunger is so great that men are glad to get on tho land on almost any terms.

Unqualified approval, however, is due to the proposal to increase the contribution of New Zealand to the Australasian naval subsidy. That will be expenditure of the right kind, and of the right kind is the argument advanced in its support, that " the truest interests of the people of New Zealand will bo best served by having a powerful navy under the independent control of those responsible for directing it in time of pcaoe or war." That such a sound opinion should exist in the mind which still longs for a useless and costly partnership in the " All-Hod lioute " scheme is a very surprising : fact. Wc shall have occasion in the future to demonstrate afresh the folly of Sir JosEpn Ward's infatuation for a scheme that will satisfy the frothy sentimentalists without assisting the true Imperialism or pleasing the saner Imperialists. When wc turn to the Government's proposals respecting subjects nearer home, wo are struck afresh by the multitude of things that the Government has seen fit. to refer to as subjects for legislation. Nobody can believe that onehalf of the proposed Bills are nccessary, or that more than a quarter are seriously .intended. In the scramble of the session, and especially 'in the blind rush of the last three weeks of it, a great many Bills will be passed. The question is: what defective enactments does the Government chiefly desire to spoil the symmetry of the five volumes into which the .Reprint of Statutes Commission has compressed the accumulated wisdom of the country's legislative past? Tho opportune occurrence of the bakers', strike will probably guarantee the passage of a Bill in amendment of the crying evils of our system of industrial arbitration.- But what of tho native land problem? There is no word of Mr. Carroll's " large and comprehensive inoasure," but only a promise of another of ' tho long series of amendments which merely make the chaos of native land legislation annually more profound. Instead of devoting its energies to the work that really requires attention, the Government, fallen a victim once more to its passion for experiment, proposes to upset the electoral law, and to intensify the financial complications of tho country by an unnecessary system of national annuities. The sccond* of these proposals is a card that the late Mr. Seddon once played with great success. As an electioneering card it again makes its appearance, and as an electioneering card it will bo recognised by the public. Surely it is hardly worth playing, : and surely . it is misplaced in the hand of a Treasurer who talks of " efficiency and cconomy " while contemplating thp wildest extravagance.

One measure which we hope to see passed is that which contemplates an. improvement in the pay of school teachers, but the Government has never been ardent for this necessary reform, and we trust that the members favouring it will be vigilant on its behalf, since tho votingforce of the teaching profession is not largo enough to bo a really convincing argument to the Government. Many of tho items in the list that concludes the specch are'rncro names, and it is.impoß; sible therefore to do more than''give' nod'of recognition to many old friends, prominent aniorigst which is " local Govvcrnmcnt," which our (remote descendants will grow familiar with in duo course. We note with satisfaction the item

" Meiklo acquittal," which promisca to take this case out of Parliament for good. An interesting paragraph of the speech is that containing a promise of legislation that will enable portions of the natural

water-power of tho country " to be employed for private enterprise under strict and proper, safeguards." Until wo have details of this taine ending to the big talk of the late Premier about nationalising the great, natural forces in this country, we must defer detailed criticism, but will say here that it is a bad condition of things that allows tho development of private industry to be obstructed by the existence in the Government's mind of unworkable thebries upon the functions of the State. The speech is vague to a degree upon tho new loading proposals, but wo may assume that tho Government really does intend to give to the backblocks the attention that has been ovcrlong withheld from them. That tho object of the Government is as much tho capturo of votes as tho relief of hardships need not lessen the thankfulness of tho outposts for this long-deferred con-, sidcration. The Peime Minister stated yesterday that the financial Statement will be ready in a week, and he is to be complimented on this expedition. if members will but curtail their speeches, on the Addrcss-in-lieply—a very doubtful prospect in tho " electioneering session " —a good beginning, At any rate, will have been made with the work of Parliament.