LORDS AND COMMONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20307, 15 July 1929, Page 10

LORDS AND COMMONS.

With the face of British political life changing, the House of Lords will he asked to consider whether Ministers should l>e allowed to speak in lioth Houses of Parliament. The suggestion may he regarded as cither an advance instalment of the muchdebated reform of the Lords, a temporary substitute for it, or a gesture of despair regarding its feasibility. The emergence of such a question is, of course, the result of Labour's growth in political importance. In the old days, even if the peeis did lean heavily toward the Conservative side, the Liberal Party never lacked representation in the second chamber, and in any emergency there was no difficulty about conferring new titles to meet it. When Labour first gained office, several peers were found willing to voice the new Government's policy. On the second arrival in the same position, there were representatives of Labour opinion already among the Lords, and, of course, new titles have since been created. Still, considering the pronounced views held about the second chamber bv many Labour supporters, the more downright disapproval of the hereditary principle often expressed, such a move must necessarily be approached very delicately. The stumbling block of the hereditary principle might be avoided by selecting men without heirs to receive the title, but that would narrow thechoice to an extent party leaders and whips could not contemplate equably. There are other difficulties a Labour Government must experience in the circumstances, genuine difficulties which entitle it to sympathy. Whether the motion the Lords arc soon to debate is attacked sciiously or not, it is of more than academic interest. On the surface it is simple, enough, but any variation of accepted rule and usage is always approached diffidently by the British Parliament. However, the fact that political circumstances Ihivq. changed profoundly cannot be ignored, and it will be of great interest to watch the reception of this proposal to meet the new position.

■ LIVESTOCK STATISTICS. When ihc interim sheep returns were published recently they showed the (locks of the Dominion to have reached the record of over 20,000,000 sheep. Further returns of livestock indicate a similar movement in other branches of the pastoral industry. Dairy cows furnish another record figure, 1,1571,000, which is an increase of some 18,000 on last year's return. It should be emphasised that these are only provisional figures for the present year. The interim returns, conservatively estimated, are always smaller than the final count. Even so, the position repays analysis. Until last year the record total of dairy cows was that of 1025. Following that there was a steady decrease until 19-28, when the 1925 figure was exceeded, and the current estimate shows that a still higher level has been established in 1020. Dairying has been on the wane in the South Island since 1925. The drop has been so substantial that not until last year could a consistent expansion in the North Island overtake the falling total of daiiv cows in the South. Even now the North Island growth has to make up a Southern shrinkage before establishing the new record. In the North Island, there were 215,800 more dairy cows this year than last year, in the South Island 5-10(1 fewer, making the Dominion gain 18,400. The bulk of the expansion is in the Auckland Province. North Auckland and Auckland between them showed an increase of 20,000 out of the 24,000 for the North Island. The official summary of the position is that, as shown by the dairy herds, the industry is expanding rapidly in the Auckland Province, is cither static or decreasing in the remainder of the North Island, and is decreasing in the South Island. For cattle other than dairy cows, an upward movement, not experienced for a considerable time, is shown this year. The record for this class of stock was established in 1022. Between that year and 1023 there was a drop of 365,000 head. This year the provisional figures show an increase of 152,000. The trade returns just published do not show the production year 1028-20 to have been a record, but there has never been a two-year total equal to it and the year which preceded it. A\ith nearly £50,000,000 worth of produce exported in 1027-23, and over £50,000,000 worth in 1928-20, the 21 months show a result no other similar period can approach. The deduction from all this evidence is that whatever else has happened in New Zealand production has not declined.