WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1932, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

HOLIDAY ADJOURNMENT,

SAVING TIME.

(Special Correspondent).

WELLINGTON, December 2. Speaking m tlie House of Reprcsentnfives yesterday Mr C. H. Clinkard, the member for Rotorua, who worries in/ one with superfluous speech, risked the Prime Minister if he had considered the feasibility of adjourning Parliament to some suitable time in the early New Zear. “This,” he said, “would obviate loss of tima in opening .another session and another Addrcss-in-Boply debate. Committees still would; be intact, business could be resumed without delay and a great saving in national and individual expenditure woud. be , effected.”' Of course, the members of the Labour Party, who would have Parliament sitting the. year, round, jeered at the suggestion, and the diplomatic leader oAhe House dismissed the matter for the time being by saying the Government had not yet considered the suggestion.

A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION. Referring in it s leading columns to Mr Clinkards suggestion the “Dominion” gives it frank approval. “It .would,” it says, “save a third formal opening of Parliament within twelve months, a third Address-in-Reply debate, and a number of other purposeless and time-wasting formalities. The Mother of Parliament is formally opened only once in the political year, an example New Zealand could not do better than follow. Parliament has lost prestige by its repetitions in the two sessions already l eld. A third formal opening would, by reducing tradition to absurdity, seriously- aggravate public impatience. The Prime 'Minister says Cabinet has not considered Mr Clinkard’s suggestion, but it cor’d do so Vith advantage to its own credit and that of Parliament.” If there is work to be done it obviously should be complete .in the present session.

RHODES, SCHOLARSHIPS. ■ Wellington’s morning paper and its ■wide - circle of readers are anx:ous to know why no Rhodes scholarships were chosen by the New Zealand Selection . Committee this year. “Certain qualifications arc demanded and the plain inference is that these were not met,” the “Dominion” says. “The pirticular reasons for the Committee’s decision should be revealed. There has been considerable discussion in recent years on the. point whether the Rhodes scholarships on the whole have produced the results anticipated by the celebrated founder. At any rate, most people will agree that the Committee’s decision, which. is only a bald statement, shguld be amplified by an explanation which may be a useful guide to those whose business’it is to nominate candidates for the honour.” • S'o far the authorities concerned have divulged no reason for their decision.

SPECULATIONS. Needless to say there are many speculations as to the reason for the failure of the five candidates who presented themselves to the Selection Committee this year. One is that the demands made upon the average candidate are far beyond his virtues and his abilities. He is to have intellectual ability; scholastic attainments; moral character; qualities of manhood, such as truthfulness, courage and devotion to duty; instincts for leadership and interest in his fellows; physical activity and fondness for many sports.' Such perfection in full measure is beyond the reach of the most transcendent of mortals during the years between nineteen and twenty-five, and jierhaps tbe members of the Selection Committee have come to realis* that it would be better to delay the tangible possibility than to hasten it to inevitable failure.