CLOSE OF THE SESSION

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 88, 12 October 1915, Page 6

CLOSE OF THE SESSION

Shortly before the session began a Minister estimated that the Parliamentary work should be finished within six or eight weeks. Actually the term has extended to nearly sixteen weeks. How-ever,-"about a month was used for the slow evolution of a National Ministry, and altogether the time spent on the tasks of State has not exceeded ten weeks. Members knew that the public did not desire a complicated legislative programme. The general opinion — shared by a majority of politicians — was that only necessary non-party business, particularly matters directly or indirectly related to tRe war, should mainly engage the minds of the people's representatives. The arrangement of the war taxation and the military policy have certainly had far more attention than ordinary proposal. *nd projects, but m»aU J-bAqg*

have intruded among the great at times in. a manner 1 to give the public an impression that some of the members had not yet a, proper sense of the war's gravity. Towards the close the House of Representatives tended to lose some dignity, in the view of the general public. This is the customary lapse at the end of a session. Some political spots appeared on the national complexion- of Parliament, but the little eruption will not gravely perturb the public. Some of the incidents towards •the end have brought caustic criticism on Parliament as a whole, but much of the censure has been unjust. The commentators have expected the word "national" to 'work miracles in Parliament, "and in their disappointment at the making of some mistakes and at some omissions they have been disposed to blame comprehensively, regardless of the principle of common fairness by which praise is due for good achievement. The war taxation scheme is not perfect, but it represents an earnest effort to distribute the war load evenly, and the Government is entitled to some credit. The policy — including national registration — to ensure a worthy part for New Zealand in winning the war has also been progressive. With all the faults on which pitiless critics have harped, the National Government is immeasurably; preferable to a contentious party system during this crisis of the Empire, and we" are confident that the people's gratitude for the new regime will be- increased during the recess.