NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 123, 9 February 1923, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Though the Governob-General’s Speech at the opening of Parliament yesterday was brief, it contained one reference at least which was of particular interest. This related to the financial position of tho country. The improvement shown in the finances has already been commented on, but the definite intimation that a surplus is now looked forward to instead of a deficit on the year’s working is distinctly encouraging. What to many will be even better news is the announcement that the Prime Minister is in a position to fulfil his promise that if the expected betterment occurred it would not be necessary to enforce any further cuts in the cost-of-living bonus of members of the Public Service. Economies, it is promised, will still be practised in the administration of the different Departments, but the bonuses of State employees as they now stand will not be reduced. It is satisfactory to learn that the financial position has improved to an extent which permits this concession to be made; though it is obvious that the greatest care must still be exercised to avoid any unnecessary expenditure and to keep down the cost of government. .*

A good beginning was made by the new Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday in enforcing tho rule regarding questions on matters of urgency. A great deal of time has been wasted in recent years through members without notice putting questions to Ministers under the plea of urgency which are not at all urgent, and on occasions are quite, trifling. The rule of the House is that such questions should be given notice of and go on the Order Paper to-be answered by Ministers each Wednesday on a printed sheet. This rule ensures opportunity for a considered answer to questions and saves the time of the House. Mr. Statham apparently is going to insist that urgent questions must be really urgent, and by so doing he will save the time of the House and suppress a form of “pointing” which is liable to cause irritation and ill-feeling, without serving any good purpose. It will be all to the good and promote the orderly dispatch of business if the new Speaker enforces stricter observance of the Standing Orders than has been customary in recent times.

No one will deny that the extreme Labour Party has made good use of opportunities arising out of the rathe.r confused condition into which politics have recently been thrown in this country. Members of the party, however, are inclined to set rather an extravagant estimate upon what they have accomplished in these circumstances and upon the prospects in consequence raised. At a conversazione on Wednesday evening Mr. Holland went as far as to declare that the future belonged to his party. Any such claim will continue to appear boastful and vain until the extreme Labour Party radically amends its policy and outlook. As yet it has progressed chiefly by trading upon passing discontents, largely the outcome of misunderstanding. Its attitude towards the problems of industrial production appears to be based upon the idea that if two men are working a machine for their common benefit, one of them will better his lot by throwing grit into Che bearings of the machine and slowing it or bringing it to a standstill. Such ideas would come more appropriately from the inmates of a mental hospital than from the members of a party which aims at playing a commanding part in future politics. Another millstone which will weigh increasingly on the neck of tho extreme Labour Party is its land policy. This.is very definitely a policy of confiscation, which would penalise most unfairly the man of small means who effects such improvements on his farm or section as can never be recompensed adequately by compensation for improvements officially assessed. It will bo time enough for the extreme Labour Party to claim the future as its heritage when it gives proof of a competent grasp and fair-minded understanding of present-day problems.

At the moment prospects in the Near East are improving. Today’s cablegrams discredit earlier reports that the Turks were ordering Allied warships to leave Smyrna. An order in these terms made with the authority of the Angora Government would have invited hostilities- and perhaps made them inevitable, but it is now suggested that tho order was issued without Mustapha Kemal’s knowledge, and that no attempt is likely to be mad© to enforce it. At the same time there are indications that the firm stand taken by the Allies with regard to the draft peace treaty is exercising an effect on the Turks. According to a Morning Post correspondent, the treaty is likely to be signed three weeks hence, when Ismet Pasha is to return to Lausanno. The correspondent adds that the Turks are most anxious to sign. This follows oddly on what has gone before, but the indicated change in the Turkish attitude is not incredible in. view of the announcement authoritatively made in one of yesterday’s cablegrams that France supports the British Cabinet’s decision to stand fast and demand that Ismet accept or reject the treaty. Probably the treaty would have been signed before now if France, following on its presentation, had not offered to negotiate separately with Turkey. It is perhaps not too late to repair the harm done by this ill-advised breach of Allied unity.