Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, October 3, 1934. PARLIAMENT.

Grey River Argus, 3 October 1934, Page 4

Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, October 3, 1934. PARLIAMENT.

Before ibis session began, Ministers voiced the customary hopes Ilia! lire Opposition would faetlilegislation. When, however, the initial debate saw the Opposition refrain from a discussion which liie (lot orniiienf had planned to promote upon “airy nothings,” that is before any definite policy disclosure, the ('oalition was caught happing, and had t<> make shift among themselves to elm out the discussion. Tiic news, however, of the latest Ministerial ‘‘brain wave.” to carry the session, with a break of three months, into next year fairly merits for the Cabinet the Sobriquet of the unready. What iidlm nee. the split in the Reform camp may exert on the situation ma\' be a matter of conjecture. l>u< there is another factor of strong effect about which there is no shadow of doubt. It is the habit which this Government has formed of delegating its thinking to somebody else. The reasons which the Prime Minister has advanced to justify* an adjournment this month are avowedly involved entirely with this practice of legislating per medium of commissions and committees. It is small wonder that there should be so much uncertainty and dissatisfaction over the erratic course of governmental procedure. Procrastination is becoming the rule. The claim lias been that exporting interests must obtain prior consideration, whereas the failure to come to any finality in their regard is the cause of splitting the session in. half, and lengthening it into the bargain. Admitting, of course, that the dairy industry must remain in a state of suspended animation until its particular commission reaches decisions, and that the meat exporters must await the outcome of negotiations, while the native affairs report remains outstanding, not to mention mortgage and other policy matters still to be tackled, it can be said that k Parliament should not be kept waiting its time. But the public ought to bear it in mind that the waste of time this session has wholly been the Government’s responsibility. Ministerial visitors to the Centenary are no doubt deserving of consideration, but it is only bunkum to make out -that their trips are designed to secure a new trade agreement. What is quite likely is that the Government, aim to bring down in February or March next certain measures on 'which it bargains to limit discussion under a plea of urgent necessity, trie urgency having resulted from delay over a period of three months. It is evident that, the postponed action relates to matters that already call for urgent legislation, and that the Govern-

ment remains uncertain or at a loss how to act. The duty of the Opposition after the resumption will therefore be most careful to dissect every measure hatched in the interval. Its responsibility is to-day greater than ever, ami the country is fortunate in the fact that the Opposition has demonstrated its ability to live up to its responsibility. The question is whether the Government is to-day doing the same.