Evening Post WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1915. THE COMING SESSION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 147, 23 June 1915, Page 6

Evening Post WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1915. THE COMING SESSION

This is a year above all years in New Zealand's history when, the people look for national work, not party words, from Parliament. The need How is not so much legislation as administration. The country will be best pleased with, a short session, devoted strictly ,to necessary business. A long programme of comparatively minor measures would be a hindrance to administration in the large affairs of State. However, the people have an" assurance that the Prime Minister and his colleagues ha.ye no desire to stuffy the Statute Book. Both Mr. Maseey and Mr. Allen have stated that Parliament will be mainly concerned TOth work of the war — provision of military pensions,' taxation proposals, and other s matters — . and Mr. Maasey, has declared that no "■party legislation *' will be introduced. Recent event* have -shown that an important duty of Parliament will be to assist in organising the full strength of this country in the Empire's cause. It is not enough to send thousands of brave men. to the front; there is -also some very important work to be done at the rear. Some thousands of writers, since this war began, have quoted Napoleon's phrasing of a truiem which is as old as war itself — "An army marches on its stomach." It will not? be easy for^ New Zealand to make explosives for the Allies, but these islands can incroaeo Hicir supplies of discstives — meat, eheeae. and ohW food— whjcjli are

very valuable munitions of war. This country haa not specialised in food for big guns, but it has progressed in the raising of food for men. There ia always a danger that while the public mind is concentrated on the preparation of men for battle, the subject of food munitions may not be. appreciated at its proper value. A reminder of its immeasurable importance was given at the National Dairy Conference yesterday by the President, who expressed a hope that the labour necessary for a vigorous maintenance of the primary industries — providing°those vital war munitions of food — would not be depleted. Clearly, here is a national task for Parliament. Much will be said and written during the; next few days about "coalition," and there will be a demand that party feeling shall not hamper national work. At present, the people see dimly in a haze and maze of theory and suggestion, but the breezes of the Address-in-Reply debate should clear the air and give the people a fair view of the parties. Mem bers of the Opposition have hinted that they have magnanimously refrained from criticising the Government's administration of the war work, and there is an unmistakable hint that the Government's life is comparatively peaceful, merely by the mercy of opponents who are content with vague statements about alleged mistakes instead of formulating specific charges. The country should prefer to have straight-out, clean-cut criticism, which may be of a helpful kind, but the people do desire definite statements. It wou!d be better to have a frank and full discussion in Parliament 'on certain matters connected, directly or indirectly, with the war, than to have a semblance of silence in the open (in the name of " patriotism "), and semi-private or semipublic whispers of mismanagement.. Such a debate would help the public to form an opinion on the merits of coalition proposals.