WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Evening Star, Issue 14530, 5 December 1910, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

The session ni' j'arliamont which dosed on Saturday, though the longest on record, will lie rojMi'mljL'H (1 I-i.-s for the number ol days it occupied than for the importance, cf the legislation it j-jaeed upon the Stat--; Hook. A summaryof its work shows tli in (his respect it is entitled to rank wr. : the west notable of its predecessors. The haimony of the sesi-ion has been uriplea mii.lv dieturbed at. limes by displays _*-'' stioug personal and parly feeling, the Iliue clrr.gr.s being responsible for mo.-t of them ; bat since Sir Joseph Ward made if ,'iite clear that lit- intended to have ilie impoitant features of his programme- iairly considered, the minority in the House of Representatives have shown comparatively little disposition towaids mere factious opposition. ai.<l by their self-restraint have contributed very* m.iteriallv to the satisfactory rtsuits the Government have been able to achieve —' bytlolton Times.'

From fir.st to last the session ints covered ]53 *l\y:-. and practically all the work that will be represented by an abnormally fat Statute Ibok iiao been dons in the la.st ten weeks. There can surely never have been Mich a small proportion of work to such an intolerable deal of talk as marked the hist three months of the session. In spite, however, of faults of omission and commission, members can go homo with a knowledge that they have participated in a. noteworthy session. Among the Acts which will help to swell the book of the law of 1910 arc- several of outstanding importance, mid some -of undcubied usefulness.—Christchurch 'l'ress.'

Mr Ifino'.s inriuiry has .served one useful purpose : it has cleared up once and for all the foggy charges of " Tunnnanyiism" with which tho Opposition have session after session been annoying the political air. If has definitely and conclusively ,-liown ihat there was not a shadow of justification for the accusations of corruption that have been hurled at the Ward Govcrumen:. it i.s to be lioo-'d that tho nihility will abo svrvo this purpose: th,i'. members of Parliament will ta.ke a little more trouble in the future to avoid "doubtful'' commissions, and that wheie commercial interests and political duty contlict, either the business will be dropped or eise parliamentary work relinquished.— ' Free Lance.'

There never ha.s bce:i a Minister in the whole history of colonial politics more chivalrously ioval lo his colleagues than Sir Joseph Ward is, and we say this with some knowledge of the splendid spirit oi' comrade-hip: that wa,s displayed by such men as Sir Harry Atkinson, Sir John Hail. Mi- Rolleston. and Mi Srddon himself. Xo wourier L'r Findlay ictented this Jatesl attack ii], on lis leader. I'is vigoious protest, will be endor.-ed by every fair-minded pen-cm in the community.—' Lytteltcn Tillies.'

We do not question Sir Joseph Ward's sincerity in his belief that I'rovidetice had intervened to ruin his emmies of 1596 one by one iill the. tally v.as foutteen, but such a, statement, in the course- of a deLat-e which ha.s run on party linos was v.:\-plea-anl. The, ]»iime Minister also made inothcr mistake: io have a, firm belief, based on flimsy evidence, that the Opposition weie associated with the diVsemination of the disgusting pamphlet.—Wellington'Tost.'

Thousands, of gratis copies of the nolo rious pamphlet have been distributed fiom dooi to door in vaiious parts of New Zea laud. Vi'lioleralo consignments have hern sold at less iha.n the cost price in many localities. Copies have been given a.way bv the hundred in Sydney, and free copies nave- reached people in London. Who is uroviding the funds foe this? For what purpose'.'—Wellington ' Times.'

There has never been a. vestige of proof foithcoinrng lo justify the allegation that political power here is in the least, parlidilui' founded on eonu)tion or Ihe deli-, beiate mi.-use of public money; therefore ue repeat there is no " Tammanyism " here, and Mr Massey's rnxious desire to reiterate his favorite epithet, even in the face of the evidence of the ITino charges, says lillle for his personal good sense or his political judgment.—Auckland -Star.'

The. iir.-l and highft-f duty of the State

;.- lo do all il can lo keep up the eiiicieney of the individual worker in whatever department, of human endeavor he is placed. The present system of cooperative public woiks has an opposite tendency, and should (huci'oif he knocked on the head as'soon as possible' and replaced by a. system of genuine small contracts. —' Tuapeka 'limes.'