MINISTERS AND PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 23, 22 October 1917, Page 4

MINISTERS AND PARLIAMENT

It is expected that Parliament will close its doors this week, and no one probably will regret that happening. Ministers will bo glad to bo ablo to devote their time wholly to their administrative duties, members will bo glad to get back to their homes, while- tho general public will welcome relief from tho possibilities of further legislative surprises and financial imposts. Tho outstanding feature of tho sossion from the point of view of political procedure has been the departure made in the relations between members and the Cabinet. In the past Cabinet has never been in that close and intimate touch with members that would entitle the latter to feel that they had the confidence of Ministers and that thoy wero kept fullv informed on matters on which they were expected to form a judgment and give a vote. Under the party system Cabinet ruled the party and the rank and filo had very little to do with tho framing of a. policy, and less still with questions aitecting tho administration of the Ministry in office. Members of the party in power had to take a good deal for granted, and it was left mainly to tho party in opposition to criticise and condemn. When the National Cabinet was formed and party methods no longer prevailed, tho independence of the Government of Parliamentary control became accentuated. Thore being no official Opposition to act as a cheek on Ministerial actions, and tho -special circumstances of the times affording just reason for the observance of a large measure of reticence on tho part of Ministers, Cabinet was permitted to cnioy an amount of liberty in the framing of policy proposals which no Government probably ever enjoyed • before. On the whole no serious exception could be taken to this state of aftairs. War conditions were a sumcicnt justification for the powers entrusted to Ministers and to the freedom permitted them in the exercise of thoso powers. It was perhaps inevitable, however, that thore should be a reaction. Even the most loyal supporters of tbo National Government felt that Parliament was entitled to tho fuller confidence- of Ministers Tho feeling also developed that members were taking too much for granted, and that tho Government and the country would bo'the better for a more critical survey ot the administration of Ministers: In consequence, it was fully expected that tho session now drawing to a closo would be a somewhat embarrassing ono for Ministers, and it was even suggested that tho swing back from trustful confidence to a hostilely critical attitude had been so marked that the Government might suffer defeat. There was somo ground for this latter view because of tho many difficult and debatable matters which had to be dealt with during tho present session of Parliament. It is a matter for congratulation that the session now so near its close- has reached its present stage without the country being cast into that state of political turmoil which would have been the inevitable outcome of a general election. The fact that such a contingency has been avoided is due largely to the action of the Government in departing from its attitude of aloofness towards members, and in effect inviting them to share moro fully the responsibilities of Cabinet. The secret sessions or private caucuses at which Ministers have taken tho opportunity to talk freely to members and plaw; before them information on important matters which it would bn undesirable to publish broadcast have bad a most marked effect on the temper of the House. With a fuller understanding of _ the difficulties with whioh Ministers are faced, of the problems to bo solved, and "of the nature of tho burdens which the country is bearing and may have to bear, members have shown a readiness to assist the Government in marked contrast with tho recent signs of antagonism so freely displayed. 16 does not mean that members have relinquished their right to criticise and condemn when occasion seems to call for such action. What it does indicate—and it is a lesson tEat tho Government should not m j ss i s that members claim tho right to the fullest possible information as to the position of tho country's affairs and as to the grounds on which they are expected to oast 'their votes in support of the flovornment's policy proposals. There .art! somo matters, of course, which in war tinui must not he discussed beyond 'he walls of the Cabinet room, but there are many others which, though it miprht not be desirable to disclose them lo the world, can vet be made known tn members under the pledge of secrecy involved in a private caucus meet-

ing or a- secret session. The National Government wisely, if ,-v little, belatedly, has realised tliis within the. past week or two, and by so doing has avoided what at ouo time seemed likely k> develop into a stormy session, with tho prospect even in sight of a political crisis and a. general election.