WORK OF THE SESSION

Evening Star, Issue 14531, 6 December 1910, Page 8

WORK OF THE SESSION

WHAT THE OPPOSITION THINK. Referring to the work of the Opposition, Mr James Allen, M.P., in tho course of an interview with a 'Press' reporter, said: I think tho Opposition party have worked together most satisfactorily, and 1 am sure it "must have 1 ecu 'very pleasing to Mr Massey to find that, notwithstanding minor differences of opinion, tho mcmbeis of bi,< party were ,-cbsolutely unanimous and loyally unanimous in their support of him aiid his etfort.s to improve tho Parliament of Xew Zealand. Mr Massey's own work has been prodigious, and it is wonderful, strong man though he be, how be has stood it. The Prime Minister has a very bard and trying time during the session, but he has his colleagues U> assist him; I bey each take their share of departmental work, iwv.l each pilots through Parliament the Diils arising out of the work of bus depatimeiit. On the other hand, Mr Massey has to examine every Rill and every paper placed on tho table, and almost- every question given notice of. He never shirks bis enormous task. I don't think the country realises how much it owes to Mr Massey's self-sacrificing efforts on India]f of every elector —for it is not only the one. class to which his attention is constantly directed ; wiiat astonishes me is the manner in which he devotes himself to the individual who has any grievance. As to tho work of the session, so far as the Opposition are concerned, it has been extremely gratifying, and tho impress of tho party is unmistakably on the legislation. The. Government have been in the position of having had to seriously amend somo of their most important policy nicaoiircs under pressure from tho public and of Opposition criticism. With respect to other jni]x>rtant. policy measures, tiie Government have not dared to face tho committee stage wtth thorn. The Land Bill—unquestionably the most important of their policy measures—went through a. Select Committee with some amendments, it is true, but not with the amendments that the Opposition would, have achieved if it had been more numerously represented on that Committee. The Hill is a crude, ill-conceived measure. 1 believe it is'ar; crude and as ill-conceived as the Government's previous attempted land legislation, and as crudo and as ill-con-sidered as Mr M'Nab's measure, judgment on which was passed by the Hon. Dr Findlay when ho described it as " impossible.'' I don't know whether the country realises how dangerous it is to have a Government in power with facilities for initiating important legislation, like that atl'eclir.g the land, without having any clear and definite opinions on the subject. For my part, I have always understood that tho party in power were supposed to have principles which they were prepared to stand by, and that, if those principles were not approved by tho country, the party holding them would consider it their duty to give way to these who had principles on important questions like the Land Question of which the country approved. Rut the chaiiges of front by the present party in power have been unprecedented in parliamentary history. In addition to the Land liill, the Government changed front on tho Licensing Bill, on the Gaming Bill, on tho Knyvett case, on the Auckland Government House case, and in other matters too numerous to ■ mention—-all indicating sheer weakness of political character, a weakness that" is detrimental to the political life of the Dominion." : >- A. S. Malcolm said that his chief was that no opportunity bad been tor the discussion of Imperial affairs, ,dlv in view of the approaching Con-

ll il IICC. Mr Hardy (chief Opposition Whip) said that there- had been a tremendous amount of legislation, which he hoped would not have to bo repealed. As much time was lost in repealing Acts as there was in putting legislation on the Statute Hook, and verv oiten great irritation was caused. Party feeling had been worse than in.- luul over seen it in the House. Though members were apparently on terms of friendship in liellamv'e, "there seemed to be a tremendous iin<iercuiTent of bitterness in the House. This was largely to be accounted for by tho evident desire of some members to sheet the pamphlet trouble home to the Opposition. .Mr (». .J. Anderson remarked that the waste; of time at the beginning of the session had resulted in very hard work being tho rule at tho end. If the (iovernment had had the work ready when the House opened in June, membei.s would have been away a couple of months ago. Mr It. Scott said that some good work had been done by Parliament. The second session was always the working one, and he believed that with a five years' Parliament the country would get bettor results, and with at least three years' good work out of their members.