The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1928. HUMDRUM POLITICS.

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 6

The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1928. HUMDRUM POLITICS.

After nearly two months the House of Representatives has got to the stage at which it may examine the standard and cost of the administration of the departments of State. From the discussion which took place when tho Estimates were readied members generally aro dissatisfied with their performance. There is a vague cxjicctation that this Parliament will end in about six weeks. If tho programme of .legislation set forth in tho Governor’s Speed) means anything that time will be ridiculously inadequate for thorough consideration of the work outlined. The licensing question and the increasingly difficult matter of a land settlement policy alone could easily occupy what part of those few weeks will be available when deductions have been made for the time taken on the Consolidated Estimates and other routine work, to say nothing of such live subjects as railway finance and reading. But an impression exists that such time has designedly been reduced. If there had been a genuine desire on tho Government’s part to provide adequate timo the Budget might have been introduced earlier. Tho interval between the closing of accounts at the ond of the financial year and tho appearance of tho Financial Statement is, and usually lias been, far too protracted. On that ground Mr Holland is right in saying that no business establishment in New Zealand would dream of adopting the procedure followed by Parliament. In view of one subject of widespread interest and peculiar difficulty on tho legislative programme a courageous and conscientious Government would not have dawdled over preliminaries in tho hope that a prospective ordeal might be shelved. It is not a compliment to our rulers that their tactics are generally construed as tho following of the lino of least resistance. Mr Forbes hit the nail on tho bead ou Tuesday when ho declared that to bo the policy, instead of guidance ou statesmanlike lines towards a definite goal. Ho followed this up yesterday by reminding tho Prime Minister that tho Licensing Bill lias not yet mado its appearance. To such criticism there lias not been any attempt at a relevant answer. All that is evoked is persiflage concerning party and personal aspects of tho coming election. It was into this that tho debate on tho Government’s conduct of the business of tho session, provoked by tbo stereotyjied but none the loss amply-warranted protest agai.i’t marking time by tbo Lender of tho Opposition, degenerated. Tho discussion was trivial and undignified, full of personalities, and tho best that can bo said of it is that it appeared to be without rancour. The evident lack of appreciation of members in their performance justifies the observant country in lack of interest in the proceedings of a chamber which itself seldom betrays alertness and capability on questions of higher moment than their own circumscribed affairs. There aro men in the rank and file of parties who would consuientlously do their bast if given the opportunity. Their complaint is flint they aro not given tho opportunity. It is no now complaint, but it is now becoming bettor founded than ever before. Mere retention of power is placed before tangible accomplishment by the beneficent exercise of that power. That is merely another way of saying that tho country’s welfare is mado altogether subservient to party interests. Thus tho real work of government, as Mr Forbes complains, is delegated to tho Civil Service. Knowledge of that fact deters men of ability and energy from seeking seats in Parliament; thus the chance of tho restoration of tho prestige of the Home is minimised because the desire to shoulder responsibility docs not rise from spasmodic profession into definite action. It is not a question of tho mere revision of tho Standing Orders of Parliament, as some members appear to think. A surprising feature is that the periodical election of members creates any stir in the country, when for a .space of three years so very languid an interest is betrayed in tbo doings of those who have been elected. Perhaps it is because hope springs eternal, and the constituencies are not altogether despondent of unearthing men wh,o will raise tho standard of representation.