REMARKABLE SESSION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17608, 26 October 1931, Page 12

REMARKABLE SESSION

N.S.W. PARLIAMENT CABINET HELPS ITS FRIENDS SYDNEY, Oct. <i. The end has came to one of the most remarkable sessions gt' Parliament in this or any other country. Perhaps it is wrong to say that it has come to an end, lor the closing of Parliament is merely a respite; and in a few weeks’ time it will be in full blast again. A perfect avalanche of bills was launched and put through, and in the Legislative Assembly not one of them has been fully debated. Parliament achieved its record by sitting continuously for 25 hours in order to pass 12 bills,' every one of them a highly contentious measure. During this remarkable session much has been Said about democracy, which may be taken as legislation made for the greatest good for the greatest number. .Much has also noon heard about the Government having received a mandate from the people to give them certain things or to amend the laws, so as to make them do just the opposite to that which was their original intention. A careful analysis of the measures shows'that they have been actuated by neither democracy nor mandates. Of the measures that have either gone through Parliament or been pushed on to the Parliamentary records 10 per cent, are to relieve certain members of Parliament of • their obligations—incidentally they relieve others, but they have .Wen actuated in the first instances tor the relief of members; 20 per cent, have been pushed through to benefit the Government’s friends or have been inspired by organisations outside Parliament, which desire special benefit; 5 per cent, have a special purpose to create billets or offices for someone on whom it is considered the Government in office lias a perfect right to bestow its favors: 2£ per cent, .have• been .obligatory—that is (o sav, the Government has bad no alternative but to nass the measure (these include the hills in connection with the Premiers’ Conference and the Savings Dank measure). Then, 10 per cent, have been genuine legislation to improve conditions generally ; 10 per cent, have been money hills designed to raise funds to keep the Government going, some of the measures fantastic, some of them oppressive, but all efforts towards financing an empty Treasury; 42£ per cent, are designed to harm opponents of the Government or to undo sound legislation on the Statute Hooks, or to interfere with constitutional matters or with trade and industry, or are mere vindictiveness against organisations or persons !