NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 103, 25 January 1933, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

“We have far too many important questions in hand to worry about additions to the Legislative Council,” says the Prime Minister. It is quite true that the Government has many complex and difhcui. problems on hand, but it is pertinent to suggest that the future ot the Legislative Council is really worth worrying about. It. has oeen reduced 'to 22 members from a normal personnel of about 40. 1 here is ample scope in the filling of vacancies for strengthening its prestige, influence, and authority. /The Government here. has a valuable oppo’. - tunity of endorsing and re-enforcing the principles from which the Second Chamber derives its functions. If these are to stand, and to win respect, that body must be more than a rubber-stamp, a P olltical dumping-ground. The time may come, as it did in New South vv ales, when the people will look to the Upper House as the bulwark of their rights, and the protector of their interests against the encroachments of political irresponsibles. *

It is satisfactory to note from a statement by the Prime Minister to-day that there .is to be no increase in unemployment taxation: It would be more satisfactory still if there were reason to beheve that the Government’s confidence in the adequacy of the present rate to meet the demands made upon the Unemployment Fund is due to a downward tendency.in the unemployment figures. There has been a slight drop certainly, as the result of activity in the seasonal industries, but as yet there has been no definite indication that the position next winter will be any easier than last winter. For the Prime Minister’s assurance the taxpayers have to thank the Minister of Emplovment, the Hon. A. Hamilton, and the Unemployment Board for their conservative management of the fund, which has enabled them to make provision during the summer months for meeting increased demands later on. ‘ For this provident policy they are to be heartily commended. F ‘ . * * * *

- There are substantial reasons for regarding critically the suggestion made yesterday that there is every probability of the question of overhauling the system of local government being shelved for the present. The Government possibly thinks that having made statutory provision for reconstituting the hospital districts, and having introduced legislation making similar provision in respect of boroughs and fire districts, it is justified in resting from its labours. It will probably find, however, that as the result of’ the raising of the exchange rate the financial worries of many local bodies will be aggravated. Many of them have been finding it sufficiently difficult to meet their overseas loan obligations on the basis of the old exchange rate. The additional burden of the new rate may prove to be- the last 1 straw. The only remedy that wc can see apart from increasing the already heavy obligations of the taxpayers is through systematic reforms aimed at substantial reductions in administrative expenditure. Such rationalisation of local government is a matter for an expert commission, and we can see no good reason for delay in setting such a body to work.

A cable message to-day reports an interesting development in the domestic politics of the United States, namely, the abolition of the "lame duck” congresses and administrations. Under the American Constitution the President who is elected in November does not assume office, with the members of his Administration, until the following March, while the new House and Senate do not assemble in Congress until the December of the year following the election. In the interim the former President continues in office for four months and the dying Parliament holds a final session. This anomaly, originally justified by slow communications, has persisted owing to the inelasticity of the Constitution. In future the new regime appointed by the electorate in November. is to commence in the January following. The New Ybrk Times, in editorial comment, expresses the hope that reform will go further, and in various directions. “The trail of the ‘lame duck.’ that is to say, of needless delay and obstruction, is everywhere over our public life.” says that journal. “For a nation so impatient, swift, audacious, avid of short-cuts and of impromptus in business, we go in for more fussing and waddling and fluttering in public business than any other modern people/’