The N. Z. Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY). TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1905. PARLIAMENT AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5733, 31 October 1905, Page 4

The N. Z. Times.

(PUBLISHED DAILY). TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1905. PARLIAMENT AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS.

PITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE “ WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.*' ESTABLISHED 1815.

The session of 1905, whose legislative labours have just been completed, lias not done much, to enhance the dignity of Parliament or raise the popular opinion of its usefulness. It will probably live in history as “the voucher session,” owing to the vast amount of time it wasted over the charges brought by certain self-styled “New Liberals.” There has never, we believe, been anything so dreary, unprofitable, and unparliamentary as this voucher business in connection with our Legislature; and the incident ought to be remembered as a solemn warning of what to avoid in future. Another outstanding feature of the past session was the presentation of the report of the Land Commission and the shelving of the debate on it, after an. opening that promised interesting developments. Its chief characteristic, however, was the inordinate amount of talk in proportion to work. Personalities, banalities, and futilities there were in superabundance, but talk to the constituencies, in view of the coming general election, was still more in evidence. The volume of “Hansard” will to much bulkier than the statute book, and its contents will in the main be so uninteresting that people may well ask if such verbiage is worth preserving in permanent form, at great cost to the country.

Of the actual work done, the most important relates to the great principle of old age provision. Parliament increased the amount of the old age pensions properly so called, and passed an act for the comfortable retirement of public school teachers. Similar provision for the whole Civil Service was brought within measurable distance, and the repeated declarations of the head of the Government made it clear that the logical consequences of the work done and the work formulated will be boldly faced. About the principle the House was practically unanimous, the only

difference being about tho ways ' and moans. Tho Government asked Parliament to regard the contributions of tho beneficiaries and tho credit of this progressive colony as sufficient, and Parliament rightly adopted the suggestion. This legislation, which redeems the session from the charge of absolute wastefulness, docs not stand alone,being reinforced by tho Workers’ Dwellings Act, which is designed to mitigate tho hardships produced by excessive rates of rent; by tho Advances to Settlors Amending Act, which increases tho benefits of a tried measure of great moment: and by tho Maori Land Settlement Act, which is, according to tho host expert opinions in tho House, a well-founded measure likely to help the native race materially by promoting substantially tho settlement of tho country. The passing of tho bill increasing tho amount annually available for :ho resumption of estates would have established another claim for the session, but it was unfortunately wrecked. It is some compensation that the shops and offices problem was settled on reasonable lines, and it is matter for congratulation that tho threatened attack on a valuable section of our industries by a foreign combination has been mot by automatic machinery. Tho mass of measures dropped calls for little comment. Wo regret that something was not -done for the betterment of majority representation; wo deplore tho loss of the bill -amending the Land for Settlements Act; and wo regret there was not time to pass the hill for tho superannuation of the Civil Service. But for the loss of the various reforendums, and the Elective Executive Bill, and tho bill for electing the Legislative Council, and many others, it is impossible to grieve. It only remains to add that tho continued prosperity of tho finances, as disclosed in the Budget, affords ground for rejoicing, and justifies tho proposed increase of expenditure on roads and railways, to provide facilities for our pioneer settlers and improved means t of communication for tho peoplo generally. Wo trust that tho sixteenth Parliament of New Zealand will hi some respects bo an improvement on. tho fifteenth, whose sands are now nearly run.