The Daily News. MONDAY. OCTOBER 30, 1911. THE PAST SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 30 October 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY. OCTOBER 30, 1911. THE PAST SESSION.

The session just over was not a notable one. but it will be remembered as one for which there was a long programme and it great waste of time. The time frittered away in the opening weeks on a perfectly useless debate on the Ad-dress-in-Reply showed how irritatingly antique and senselessly conservative parliamentary customs are. These wasted weeks might just as profitably have been employed by getting the Clerk of the House to read old newspapers. The work that should be done when members are freshest and not frothing to go electioneering is packed into the dying days, and Bills "thick as the leaves that strew the brooks," etc., are forced through at a speed that would shame an aeroplane. One feels sorry at the bad workmanship of Parliament, for while it has no rival in the number of Acts it passes, no other country finds it so necessary to patch and amend its legislation to so great an extent. jThe politician who can go to his constituents and give them a clear idea of the effect of the laws passed during the session is not in the House. No people in the world are experimented so freely with as are the people of New Zealand, and no people are so meek about it. Out of thirty-seven Acts passed, twenty-four were amendments, as will be seen by the list published in this issue. Of the thirty-seven, too, some were, of course, Imprest and Supply Bills. In New Zealand, where many of the Acts are either original or alleged improvements on Acts existing in barbarous countries like Britain. Germany and Switzerland, it is necessary to "try them on the dog." iind. if he bites, to make amendments. We believe that the men of the New Zealand Parliament are men of average intellect, and compare favorably with those in other Parliaments, but these period-, of ■•taihoa" and rush, rush and

•taihoa.'' do not give them the time

necessary for the proper consideration of measures. Much time during the past session was taken up in individual and party recrimination, mid although the I't'l'lic may like In rend nil about 11 in the paper*, the public really

(I '"'- i »"t pay Parliamentarian* io

call each other name-. Kveu that staid body of gentlemen, the Legislative Council, gravely protested at the indecent rush of work in the dving hums of (his unremarkable session. This is a slock topic with newspapers all over New Zealand, year in and year out. Ministers themselves talk volubly about waste of time by these conventional, old-fashioned lactic*, but nothing is done. It i~ cheerfully conceded, however, thai the se>,io:i ha* not been bar-

ren. The granting of pensions to widows who have been left, logclher with their

rliiMren. in piKir <in-iinManc('< is a distinctly sooil and humanitarian addition In mir Pension ,\d, and it may bo claimed that Xuw Zealand has led the

.world in regard to pension legislation, which has been so widely and successfully copied. The proposed farmers" cooperative hanks, a modification of the immensely successful German system, is a fine advance, because it will assist the cause of settlement, the most important matter Parliament can deal with. The Land Settlement Financial Act has been extended usefully, and as Mr. Masseyagrees on its utlity the prospects are cheering. The proposed State note issue, following on the successful inauguration of the system in Canada and Australia, will have important results, and may, it is assumed, lead to the establishment of a real State bank, wherein the State does not by its paternity enrich private shareholders at the expense of the people. The amendment to the Death Duties Act is by way of taxing estates which have not contributed to the revenue, a legitimate and useful reform which inflicts no hardships and is just and equitable. The increase of the amount that may be borrowed by workers to build dwellings by 50 per cent, is a good investment, and has been proved sound in principle. An improve- j ment has been made in the Workers' Compensation Act and it will in future be less possible to rob an injured worker on a legal quibble. The Act as it now stands is claimed to be the finest of its ' kind existing. Parliament has recognised the value of oil. and Taranaki mineral oil and ironsand have heen given attention. All plant necessary for oil boring will he duty free, and. as we know, the Government is giving bonuses on the oil output. The Premier has mentioned that a new and much more rapid system of boring for oil has been discovered, and would soon be at work. This is news to most Taranaki people, but none the less welcome. The PreJ mier has said that as a result of the invention developments will be more rapid than hitherto contemplated. It is sincerely hoped he may be a true prophet. Nothing tangible came of the proposals made in the Budget for the development of iron ore and ironsand deposits. but Sir Joseph Ward has promised to go into the matter during the recess. The Premier holds—and everyone will agree —that if the iron and steel industry is j property established in the Dominion it will be a tremendous asset to Xew Zealand. The Public Works Estimates show that the Government intends pushing on vigorously with the country's essential work, although the votes are all too small for the work that is crying out to be done, especially in the essentials of roads, hrdges and railways. The' last session of a Parliament is generally a sterile one. and therefore it is gratifying to know that in the rush and scurry of getting ready for the elections some useful business has been done.