TIME INADEQUATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21879, 15 August 1934, Page 13

TIME INADEQUATE

COMPLETING A POLICY EXTRA YEAR DESIRABLE ARGUMENTS OF MR. FORBES CHANGES IN CONDITIONS [BT TET.ECRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Ti<e*da.y Quoting John Stuart Mill in support of the Government's nroposal to extend the* life of future Parliaments from three years to four, the Prime Minister. Mr. Forbes, declared in the House of Representatives to-night that a member of Parliament should he nllowed a term sufficient to enahlo him to be judged not by a single act. but by a course of action. Mr. Forbes contended that three years was not sufficient under the re-cently-changed conditions to give effect to a Government's policy, and on that principal argument he grounded tho Government's justification for the proposed extension. h Mr. Forbes said that during his own Parliamentary experience the subject of the length of Parliament's life had frequently been discussed, and many of his fellow-members had from time to time realised the weakness of the present system. Giving Lead to Country Some might ask why such a bill (the Electoral Amendment Bill) had been brought before the Hous,e at present It was for this reason. It was the duty of Parliament to give a lead to the country on such a question, and when this lead was given, the question would be open for review and discussion. When the next election took place, the situation would then be definite, and it could be dealt with oji that basis. "No doubt this move will comniend itself to members of tho Opposition," added Mr. Forbes. "They have told us often that they will be the Government after the next election. However, opinion differs on that point." The Prime Minister spoke of the unsettling effects of an election on the business community, and this could be easily understood. Business people considered that a change of Government might mean the reversal of a policy, and they felt that they could not safely make arrangements for the future. Insecurity existed even during a session, but at election time it was much more dangerous. People were chary of investing money and business was sometimes brought very near a standstill.

Expenses at Election "Apart from that aspect of the question," continued Mr. Forbes, "there is the question of members' expenses during an election." Mr A. M. Samuel (Independent — Thames): Where is the money going to come from ? Mr. Forbes: That is always a subject of very great concern to overy party going to the polls. It means that members have to put their hands in their pockets to a considerable degree No member looks forward to the expense of an election. / The Prime Minister referred to the difficulty of fashioning and carrying out a definite policy in three years. He said that in the first year a Minister came into office, he was occupied in becoming acquainted with innumerable details of departmental administration. The second year was taken up in incorporating departmental recommendations in Government policy. The third year was election year, and the Government had to get ready for. the polls once more. Many desirable measures might have to be _ dropped because of the shortness of time. „ Mr. R. Semple (Labour— Wellington East): You tell a good story. Mr. Forbes said he thought any reasonable man would agree that some little time should be given for people to understand the policy of the Government. Mr. Forbes was proceeding_to quote extracts from debates in 1878, when the biennial system was being devised, when Mr. Samuel interjected, amid laughter, "What did Gladstone say in 1878?" X One-year Parliaments The Prime Minister: What would Gladstone say now? That is the point. I can remember when a leading newspa per in New Zealand advocated oneyear Parliaments. U Mr. Semple: That is going from the sublime to the ridiculous. '< The Prime Minister: I merely mention it to illustrate how opinion has changed. No one to-day would advocate one-year Parliaments. The Prime Minister said the present Government had had to face problems never dreamed of by its predecessors and it had endeavoured to do its best in the circumstances. If any further justification were needed of the proposal to extend the life of future Parliaments from three years to four, critics had only to go to the mother of Parliaments. In the United Kingdom, the period was five years, and in Northern Ireland, the Irish Free State. Canada, South Africa and Italy there were also five-year Parliaments. Mr. Samuel: Would you take up the same attitude if you were on tho Opposition benches to-day ? Mr. Forbes: I know now something of the difficulties of the man in office. Mr. Semple: Why not make it an election issue? The Prime Minister said the Opposition would have its opportunity to make the question a definite issue at the next election. If the next Go\ernment was against a four-year term it could repeal the legislation.

TUAKAU CAMP AFFAIRS ALLEGATIONS IN QUESTION DISMISSAL OF WORKERS [by telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Tuesday "1 have no knowledge of the allegations implied in the question," said the Hon. J. A. Young, acting-Minister of Employment, in the House of Repnesentativea to-day, when answering an urgent question by Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour—Roskill), asking for an immediate inquiry into the management and organisation of relief workers in the Public Works Department's camp at Tuakau. Mr. Richards said 60 men were recently paid off after being employed in the camp for 18 months. They had been willing to continue to work there. While those men were dispensed with, others, who had been only five months there, and who owed the storekeeper money, were retained. Mr. Richards said it was further alleged that at the assistant-engineer's office there were a storekeeper and two others doing very little of value. One assistant-engineer, at present in full charge, was assisted by an overseer, who was assisted by another receiving Is 6d an hour to drive round in a Go/ernment truck costing 6s an hour. Mr. Young said' it had to be remembered that the Unemployment Board was not the employing authority. The mrjtter really concerned the Public Works Department, to which Mr. Young said he would forward Mr. Richards' question.