OVER THE SPEAKER’S CHAIR

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 234, 29 June 1922, Page 6

OVER THE SPEAKER’S CHAIR

A VIEW OF PARLIAMENT (By Randall) Tho opening of a session of Parliament ought to be regarded as an event of high importance. The members of the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives may not always be possessed of wide knowledge, matured judgment and noble ideals, but democratic government is based upon tho theory that they do possess these attributes. They exercise the authority that used to belong to kings and emperors. They are permitted to poke intimate fingers into the affairs of their (fellow citizens. Every man may regard Parliament lightly if he will, but ho must pay its bills, accommodate himself to its efforts at guidance and yield seme measure of obedience to its laws. Its doings should interest him. The session that was opened yesterday by the Governor-General, is the fourth meeting of New Zealand’s twentieth Parliament. It is an election session. Afinisters' and members are to have big questions before them during the next four months. But they are not in the least likely to spermit tho pressure of legislative duties to dim their consciousness of the fact that a party battle is about to be fought in the electorates.' They will spend much time this session sparring for position, and plating in the pages of Hansard the record of their opinions and aspirations, for tho enlightment of the electors. Afost members of Parliament believe that their constituents read Hansard.

The speech that was read by tho Governor-General contained little that surprised members. They had been prepared for the reference to “rigid economy.” Their interviews with Afinisters concerning little local matters, that normally 1 would find mention i nthe estimates, have taught them to expect a very lelin session. The farmers showed interest in the reference to agricultural banks. Some of them have been urging for years past that the Government should give the producers facilities for developing this form of co-operation. The suggestion, indeed, has come from almost ’every corner of the House, at one time or another. The Bill ought to he assured of a good run. Tho gong was sounded for the'party bouts as soon as the members of the House returned to their own chamber. The Leader of the Liberal Opposition (Mr. Wilford) gave notice of his intention to move an amendment to the Address-in-Reply. He probably would have waited until there was a motion for his amendment to hang to if he had not suspected the gleam of intention in the eve of the Leader of the Labour Opposition (Air. Holland). But Afr. Holland scored the.point anyway. for he gave notice of a want-cf-confidence amendment to the motion to go into committee on the Imprest Supply Bill. There is no' such B’ll yet, but one will make its appearance te-morrow. while the Address-in-Reply Debate will not be onened before .Tuesday next. Air. Wilford quite often gets out-manoehvred on these occasions, but then he is nlaced at a disadvantage by forms that do not provide for the existence of two Oppositions. The proceedings in both the chambers were brief. The members of the Council congratulated ' their deputy leader. Sir William Fraser, on his assumption of responusibiUty in the absence of Sir Francis Bell. Petitions and notices of questions occupied the House for a quarter of an hour. The bookmakers, legally dead, have been active during the recess, and some bulky petitions praying for their legislative resurrection were placed upon the table. There was a laugh when one of these petitions was. presented by a member, whose objections te beer and racing have often wearied the House. A Labour member wanted to ask a question without notice about unemployment, but the Primo Minister shook his head, and the question went on the order-paper. _ Then the House adjourned until tljis, afternoon. A rising murmur of conversation from the crowded ladies’ galleries had been reminding members that for one sex the opening of Parliament was entirely a social function.