THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 4

THE SESSION.

• In another column, under the heading "Privilege.'' we print a summary of a remarkable speech which tho Attorney-Gen-oral delivered yesterday. With most, of Dr. Findlay'b admirable argument we are most heartily in agreement. Nobody can possibly like tho present constitution, of the Legislative Council, containing as 'it-, docs so many members appointed for political reasons by Sir Joseph Ward and his predecessor, but the Council con- • tains a sufficient leavening of talent and independence to fortify tho; friends of the bi-cameral system. We might take Dr. Findlav'S speech as the text for a strong .defence of Upper House autonomy,'but we wish bore to draw attention, only to' the backing which tho Attorney-General has given to tho, protestants against the methods "forced by the Government upon the members of the Lower: House; His speech was' a defence of the rights of the Council "to give intelligent! expression" to the foolish and bungling enactments of the weary and ovcr-drivon Lower Chamber, and a comprehensive, but a quite proper censuro, of the slipshod stuff that goes through the House. The last. jWeck—the last fortnight,- indeed—has seen such a travesty of legislative' . deliberation,; and such a. contemptuous" indifference to.'the; obligations of tho people's Parliament, as were not witnessed even in tho worst days of, the Seddoniak- regime. The achievements .of . the- session include," more' than ono admirable enactment, but a number, of the best measures have been dropped.; Bad measures havo been passed, and passed in. the worst form. Practically all have, been -scamped':'.'all havo been hurried. Trickery has gone hand in hand ,with bludgeoning. Tho House was trickod'inHho"reinstatemerit of a.clause-in State .Guaranteed Adtatf^ ! BiU?-T^5 f gflblif^l)e®'fi|obed ; doubly on the laiid" question: 'by"; the : introduction of a Bill .that was anv affront to the. freehold .sentiment of the country, and by the final avoidance of the issuo. The Minister :for Public Works has dared to threaten the.country, with a Bill, relating to tramways, that will bo more offensive than the - measure that 'was actually brought down only to be withdrawn under the pressure of a Prime Minister who, whatver his ' deficiencies, can at any rate realise, when a gale is blowing,' that it is < Vindy_ weather.; The whole body of. public opinion has been insulted by the refusal of tho Government to remove, the privileged statuß conferred upon the spieler and : the. racecourse tout,' In a thoroughly: unsatisfactory ;session there,' is, however, ''one bright:spot— the enactment . of. the . Defence Bill, and tho, committal of the Government and the nation to. a policy of national importance. The great reforms of which the country stands in need haye for, the most part been shufflod on one side. v • Mr. HerdmAn's Public Service Bill- was blocked and strangled. The House was denied any in-formation-as to the serious trouble in a vitally important Department of State. The use of'tho party'whip committed'tho Parliament to the doctrine that the public Exchequer is the privy purse of the party in power. ! ■ ' Finally; the House has for weeks been forced to legislate under conditions that have made sound legislation impossible'.'.' Tho'blamo rests .largely with th 6 Government, but the main responsibility for the proceedings of tho past eleven weeks rests with .those members who, "with open' eyes, solemnly decided last, June that Sir Joseph Ward's personal convenience,' and Sir Joseph Ward's needs as a'party leader, were of greater importance than tho interests of. Now, Zealand.