MEANDERING ON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21345, 21 November 1932, Page 11

MEANDERING ON

% BARREN SESSION

IMPORTANT MEASURES

! LEFT UNTIL THE LAST

EXCHANGE RATE QUESTION

[B"Z TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL HErORTEIt] "WELLINGTON, Sunday

'As a somewhat barren session draws toward its close a restless spirit is surging through a section of Parliament. The Government is trying to engage the interest of members in bills to ensure pure stock Remedies, limitation of reports of divorce proceedings, the compulsory deJiorning of cattle, and the establishment 0 f a poultry board. Yet many members undoubtedly feel that these proposals, -ffhile possibly commendable enough in normal times, somehow do not touch the realities of to-day's urgent problems.

Anxious as most members are to return to their homes, many of them first require convincing that the Government is grappling earnestly with the difficulties of supreme economic importance and particularly/ with the task of enabling the man on the land to weather the storm. The exchange issue has transcended in importance every other question in the last few days, and without entering into the merits or demerits of that suggested remedy for the farmers' ills, it has to"be admitted that the agitation has diverted interest from a dozen trifling thoughts and concentrated attention on the outftandinglv vital problem.

An Uninspiring Programme While the House is droning monotonously through an uninspiring programme members in the lobbies have only one topic of conversation, but except for a facetious invitation by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, to the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, to indicate which of. thqi' three courses proposed to it the Government will follow to meet the farmers' crisis, the subject of gravest moment to-day has not been mentioned in the House.

The session has so far lasted eight weeks; It is only during the past fortnight that any real show of industry has been made. Certainly it has to be placed to the credit of members that they have created a minor record by disposing of the Estimates in six days, but the lifeless tone of the discussions revealed preoccupation with more serious reflections than are inspired by itemised details of departmental expenditure. Indeed, the swift progress made with that phase of the session's business rather took the Government by surprise, and it played for time by bringing forwar d a small host of minor bills which have lent an impressive appearance to the order paper, but which/' could well have awaited introduction next year or the year after that. Only a very thin Statute Book will be required to reflect accurately the real labours of this session, and jDossibly many of the minor measures introduced in the last week or two will not be proceeded jvith. An Unnecessary Bill Their appearance, however, is sufficient to leave the impression whether that be a right inference or riot, that Parliament is out of touch with the problems which are wracking the community. Take, for instance, the Stock Remedies Bill, an impressive-looking measure comprising 22 clauses, proposing incidentally the establishment of yet another board. It is reliably stated that the result desired could be achieved by a relatively simple amendment to the Food and Drugs Act, and that by a little collaboration between the Departments of Agriculture and Health adequate safeguards could be ensured, particularly as the Health Department has a staff ,of inspectors qualified to attend to that class of work. That example is cited merely to show the persistence of the tendency to tackle a simple problem in a complicated way, to set up elaborate machinery to perform a relatively trifling task. Unfortunately, such methods are unnecessarily expensive. >' Superannuation Question

On the other hand, there is reluctance to face the larger jobs. What, for instance, is to be the fate of the Superannuation Funds Bill? The suggestion recently went abroad, uncontradicted at the time, that the bill might not bo proceeded with this session. Ihe Prime Minister now says the bill will be put through before the ITouse rises. However, the committee hearing evidence on the bill has still many representative witnesses to hear, and the session is popularly expected to end within three weeks. Thus, very little time will be available to give the bill the mature consideration which is its due.

There is somewhat similar uncertainty about the fate of the Central Reserve Bank Bill. Mr. Forbes, Mr. Coates and Kir Francis Bell have beeh largely responsible for shaping the proposals it contains, but although the fact that it would nppear Was announced during the first week of the session members are still awaiting its introduction. Is such an important measure as this also to bo rushed through in the final days of the session ? Meanwhile, other bills are announced for presentation next week. Among those expected to appear on Tuesday are tho Mortgagors Relief Act Amendment Bill, the Municipal Corporations Bill, mainly a consolidating measure, and the Apprentices Amendment Bill. All raise subjects of some importance, and all are being crowded into the final weeks of tho session. Thus, Sir. Forbes' expectation that the session will close in the first week in December can only be realised at the Sacrifice of some of the numerous bills now cluttering the order paper. Uiat tt'ight- not be much loss, except for the danger that some of the few really important measures might share the fate of those less worthy.