POLITICAL PALAVER,

NZ Truth, Issue 326, 23 September 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL PALAVER,

Picked up Pars In and out of Parliament.

After more than a week ofJtHJ*-^ drivel, purporting to be a.^T upon the Fmajncie^Statementf 'ouv . m reality a series™f electioneering speeches of a very med^cre type, the Budget debate was summarily terminated on Tuesday by the Prime Minister rising to reply, although it was know n that several members who had not spoken were anxious t-o air their eloquence (if one may use such a word). It was about time.. Everyone was heartily sick of the waste of time, and it was a relief when Sir Joseph brought down the estimates. S 9 * Arthur Myers exhausted his timelimit m a defence of the Government's proposals, and, for the nonce, assumed the role of the poor man's advocate. Taxation, m his opinion, was not so burdensome as had been represented by the Opposition. The j people got very good return for j what they paid, and the taxation was placed upon the shoulders best able to support it. The Government was perfectly justified m pursuing the present line of policy, so 1 long as the burden was not allowed to become too great. That was not So at present, and the Opposition conclusions were unfounded. Without rising to the heights of oratory, Myers spoke forcibly, and, as _ man with a vested interest m the country and many of its industries, he discussed without diffidence, and as "one who knows,"- the development of the iron, and oil industries and other national concerns, being greeted with considerable applause when he sat down. * * » Dr. Arnold Izard was among the interested auditors of the Budget debate on Tuesday last. Arthur Myers was ' speaking while the would-be member for Wellington North was present. * * \ •. As instancing the interest manifested m the Budget debate, it is worthy of note that during Sir Wil-? liam Steward's speech the numerical strength of the House was at times as low as 21— one more than a bare quorum— and at no time higher than 23. Beyond an occasional interjection m an American accent, indicating the presence of a portly person from the north, it cannot ( be ser-i iously asserted that any extraordinary interest was evinced m Sir Wil-* liam's remarks. * a m The Budget debate gave rise to some discussions which at a casual glance would appear t 0 be as far removed from finance as are the poles asunder. " Education, for instance, was discussed at some length by J.P. Luke. Now, there are some men m the House who are qualified to: speak authoritatively upon education, but the member for Wellington Suburbs is not one of them. Reading tables of statistics is not debate. Without attempting to follow his peregrinations, suffice it that Luke's conclusions were that the best teachers m the world are m New Zealand, the standard of education m New Zealand is the highest m the world, and' the average attendance at schools m New Zealand is the highest m the British Empire. Oh ti the conceit of the Maorilander ! When ' Luke's lucubrations on learning languished, he entered upon ans investigation of the iron industry, a matter upon which he was better qualified to express an opinion. In his opinion, the iron ore of the Dominion is <of a high grade, and he was pleased with the Prime Minister's optimism. He believed that,with proper encouragement, m course of time the primary industry would be supplemented by numerous secondary industries giving employment to at least 10 r OOO persons. Well, op-» timism is a good fault I m a • Just before the curtain was rung down on the Budget debate, Isitt the fidgety, rose, and, be it confessed, for the nonce lifted the discussion out of the regions of dreariness by creating periodic little laughs at his jokes and humorous allusions.. Taking up the cause of the conscientious objector to compulsory military training, he painted in' flowery language the virtues of the Quaker, and, m so doing, betrayed himself as the practised artist m rhetorical sophistry and all the wiles which characterise the perfervid Prohibitionist.; » • a Russell's motion that there be laid before the House all papers relating to the " Payment to Messrs Adams Bros., solicitors, Dunedin, for services m drafting the Licensing Bill, £369 6s 6d," as shown m the Unauthorised Expenditure Account, B. 4, page 2, still remains upon the Order Paper, but, as the Government evinces no desire to treat the motion as "unopposed," it is scarcely likely to be reached before the dissolution. Here is a matter to which Would-be members might profitably devote some little attention. *. * * Arnold has tabled a motion that there be laid before the House^, return showing the number o»commissioned and non-conrmissioneo. officers under the Defence Act- brought from England during the twel" l^ months ended August 30 last. There is no likelihood of such information as this being forthcoming as a mat-^ ter of course, as the sum total would be a bit of an eye-opener, and as, at this stage of the session,-, "opposed" motions stand little or no chance of being reached, A-rnold may go on hoping, for his motion t^ be carried. * * • Field is desirous of having a return prepared showing : (1) the total cost to the country to the Native Land Commission, showing the travelling and other out-of-pocket expenses of the Commissioners and (their actual pay, separately; (2) the total cost to the country of the ! Statutes Revision Commission, showing the out-of-pocket expenses of the Commissioners (if any) and their actual pay, separately ; and j (3) the actual saving m money (if j any) to the country which would I have resulted if some person other j than the Chief Justice had been j'ound to perform the services rendered by ham on the above Coznmassions.