THE COMING SESSION.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 950, 26 September 1918, Page 6

THE COMING SESSION.

Plenty to be Done.

A SEMI-OFFICIAL statement lias been made to the effect that the coming session, which, opens on the 23rd of next month, will bei confined, as fax as possible, to. war business, and that members may expect to get away home in time for Christmas. This may be a very nice littlei arrangement for Ministers and members, especially the former, but how about the public? As a matter of fact, if the Ministry does its duty and Parliament, as a whole does likewise, there is no chance of the session ending in two months. The plain truth of the matter is that the time is past when important legislation should be shelved : indefinitely on the specious plea that it is not strictly "war business." There are a whole host of important questions which urgently demand careful and detailed attention by Parliament, and neither Ministers nor members have a right to rush the business through and scurry away to their homes. "What are members of Parliament paid for but' to do the legitimate work of the country ? And do not such important matters as educational reform,. ? land ' aggregation,

the introduction of proportional representation, the devising of some really wor&able means of preventing industrial strife, and,; above all, tne cost of iivmg, come wiuiini the category or legitimate ousmess, although not direcwy to .be considered, questions (save tne lasc named; connected with the war.

Many other questions might be mentioned. Jb'or instance, tne question of a general election. vv e cannot see wJay there snouia not be a general election, say m March or April next, Y A general all round political wash-up. would ciear tne political air and probably do away with a good, deal of public discontent, which is openly expressed with the iNational Government. JLf Ministers are wise they win throw no obstacles in tiie way of a general election, but welcome tlie project as being immeasurably preferable to any postponement of that event until tne war is over. There are some 'very mischievous elements and forces at work in the community just now and a general election next autumn would, we believe, clear away a lot of poison gas which, if leit to go on circulating, may work infinite evil later on!

Besides the subjects mentioned above, none of which, can properly be shelved, there is the everlasting liquor problem coming up in a new form/J±ow olien, with all these important matters to be dealt with, the session can be expected to close by Christmas we fail to understand.