END-OF-SESSION CUSTOM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 23 December 1933, Page 6

END-OF-SESSION CUSTOM

EXCEPT, by business people whoso interests are directly affected and by very close followers of politics, the closing days of the session have not attracted a great deal of attention. Nevertheless much important legislation was belatedly brought before members for attention, as onr news columns have shown. The miscellaneous Finance Bill alone contained sufficient controversial material to have warranted serious consideration and debate extending over weeks—debate which would have been more justified than were many more or less time-wasting discussions early in the session upon subjects already fully threshed out. As one writer remarked, this Bill varied in importance from the monopoly of issuing currency notes to the supply of weed-killer at cost price.

I hero wore oilier e<|u;illy differing clauses, some of them no doubt necessary, but others which should have, been brought before Parliament earlier. It is greatly to be regretted that the conduct of business should have been such as to have prolonged the session almost until Christmas Kvc. It is inevitable that under such circumstances there should be interference with the smooth How of business at a time when it should be flourishing unhampered by doubts as to the effects of the actions of Parliament, some of which have been calculated to impose further restrictions upon trade and industry. Time alone will tell whether all the legislation of the session —including provision for the establishment of a Central Reserve Bank—was wise. But once again wo protest against the dangers possibly attendant on an end-ol'-sessioii rush—a scramble which the country has witnessed so often over a long period that many people have come to accept it as "the correct thing.” Despite that attitude we reiterate that the method followed is wrong and reprehensible, and should cease. Probably it will not interfere with our legislators’ enjoyment of the festive season. It is gratifying to observe that in the concluding stages of the session, the Minister of Finance, in giving a broad outline of the country’s finances to-day was able to disclose a comparatively satisfactory position. So far as the year has gone the revenue has kept well up to the estimate, while the expenditure 4 estimated will apparently not be exceeded despite increases in some directions, including defence. The outlook is distinctly brighter than it has been for some time.