POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 14515, 5 November 1910, Page 2

POLITICAL POINTS

[By Oun PabdiaSeehtaby Hand.]

In the middle of the week there came a faint call from Palmerston North, which was holding its far-famed summer show. At the end came a louder and more compelling cry from Christchurch. A fair proportion of legislators answered it, after having obtained a reassuranoo that all the important Bilk on the jOrder Paper would not be put through in their absence ; so they left their more quietly-disposed brothers to mind house while they made their annual pilgrimage to the temple of the thoroughbred. Many a year have they gone there. This year they have to come back at once after a flying visit, and return to the consideration of sub-clauses (b) of clause 7, instead of considering the chance of No. 6 of event 3 on the card, and have their nerves thrilled by the sound of the division bell instead of the starting bell. It is melancholy to think that what in ordinary years has been looked on as the finishing post has now become merely tho distanco poet, and that the judge's box is yet some distance off. ******* Tho most wonderful event of tho session was the second reading of the debate on tho Licensing Bill—thrco speeches from two speakers. The arrangement, for such it was, recalled the etiquette of warfare that was occasionally observed by tho ancients, but the ground cliosen was not tho best for anything stirring in tho way of einglo combat. Both Leaders were too much of the same mind to be really antagonistic. Neither is believed to bo particularly partial to tho "trade" or tho Prohibitionists. They were both moderate, and go wero (it must bo confessed) their speeches. Perhaps this was intentional. If either had said anything particularly striking or controversial, the chances were that it might have drawn one of the rank and file into the arena, arrangement or no arrangement. Sir Joseph Ward's main speech was one of compromise. Without it, he said, no Licensing Bill could get through this session, or through this or any other Parliament. The last Licensing Bill, as most people will remember, was the nurseling of compromise, with Mr Robert M'Nab as chief mediator. This Bill, says the Prime Minister, is to go through this session. The Elijah of compromise on the licensing question has been removed from the sphere of active politics. Who ifi the Elisha on whom his mantle has fallen? * ■ * * * * * * The heavy bombardment of questions to Ministers which announces the opening of tho 6ession died down as usual towards the middle, but members are beginning to salute the approaching end with more volley-firing. Mr Herdman lias been amusing himself all the session in firing three shots, one after another, daily, going after the bullet and finding it, and then refilling liis cartridge cases and letting them go next day. So far he has brought down nothing in the way of gamo. Day after day he renews three notices of motion, and the nightly Supplementary Order Paper containing questions and notices of motion handed in that afternoon would look unfamiliar unless it contained " Mr Herdman to move that there be laid before this House a return," etc. His ammunition is (1) The names of all retrenched Civil servants since April, 1909, together with the office and salary vacated, also similar particulars of any fresh appointees; (2) tho expenditure on old and new Parliamentary Buildings since the fire; and (3), full details of the proposals to widen some and close other of certain streets in the vicinity of the Parliamentary Buildings. Mr Herdman has lately seized on a new subject. Ho has evidently found time to read newspaper reports of the meetings of tho Bruce County Council. The offer of the Public Works Department to erect a bridge at Taieri Mouth for £5,000, if tho Councils concerned will contribute £2,500, has led Mr Herdman to ask whether it is the Government's intention to engage in general contracting business and to enter into competition with contracting firms. Another Opposition member has evidently worked out Now Zealand as a field for his questions, and has found a perfect treasuro in tho Cook Islands. This is Mr Wright, who Dot only puts questions about tho sale of alcohol to Europeans Jiving in those happy isles, but wants to know why a lagoon in Rarotcnga is not to bo drained. In one of thoso interesting parentheses which are euch favorites with many questioners, Mr Wright conveys tho information that the lagoon is a ground for cultivating mosquitoes. Mr Wright's activity lias been counter-balanced by a corresponding decrease in the output from other members. Mr J. Duncan, Marlborough member, is a laudably consistent listener. He is seldom absent from his seat., and ho onlv breaks silence to draw the attention of tho Government to a loose timber in Picton wharf, or to the unexct'sablo overlooking of Mariborongh Waterfalls in tho Government's hydro-electric &eben>e. But lately he has not even put questions to the Government. Surely the resources of Marlborough have not been worked out. ******* Tho challenging of the Taieri Drainage Bill by Mr Wilford, on the ground that it k a Local Bill, has not been definitely settled oi'o way or another. Mr Speaker has ruled that it is a Local Bill, but it remains to bo seen whether Mr Wilford has merely playfully thrown a stick in tho path of the Taieri coach or has felled a big tree across tho track It would be annoyinT if such a point were to bring to D&ught all the expenditure of time, money, and at times temper that have gone to tho account of this measure. A similar point fcuggeste itc-elf iu connection with the Hiue charges. The Legislative Council Committee have finished the hearing of evidence, and now have only to come to a finding; but the House Committee, although they have been doing their best (at somo sacrifice of the work of the ordinary humdrum committeeß), seem to have no end of work in front of them. Proceedings are to bo shorn of counsels' addresses, but there are very many witnesses yet to be examined, and after that comes deliberation, the coming to a verdict, and the framing of a xeport. It looks quite possible that the Committee may be still full of goiug when the parliamentary session runs out; and if there is no Parliament how can there be a committee?