The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1913. THE COMING SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 20, 24 June 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1913. THE COMING SESSION.

The second scission of a Parliament is generally regarded us the "business" session, and the one that opens on Thursday should prove no exception. The Government has not taken the country into its confidence as to the nature of the menu to be served up, but thero are certain questions which it is known will be tackled. The first business, of course, will be the elesction of a Speaker. There seem to be but two in the running— Mr. Lang, Chairman of Committee, and Mr. Jas. Millar. The Government does not seem to he very keen about the selection of Mr. Lang, for whom, perhaps, more substantial and congenial preferment is in store, in which case Mr. Millar may receive the Government backing. Mr. Millar, who is a disappointed man, treated the party that were loyal to him and the other Liberal leaders for many years with rank ingratitude. Just where lie stands in regard to parties just now is not known; where he will stand after next election, however, is tolerably certain. He may make a passable Speaker, if a knowledge of Parliamentary procedure and formalities will compensate for a certain lack of judicial spirit. The Government has announced its intention of bringing down again a Bill for the reform of the Upper House, making it elective 011 the proportional representation system, each Island forming an electorate.; We don't believe the Bill will prove acceptable, nor do we think the Government is sincere in its professions regarding the reform of the House. The Bill will 110 doubt go forward in due course, and after its inevitable rejection the Government will say, with much emphasis and exhibition of indignation: "We have endeavored to democratise the Upper j House. The wretched nominees of the | past Liberal Governments have blocked i< us. We must, therefore, force them to carry out our wishes. We shall at once appoint more Councillors." These Coun- ' cillors will be of the right color, of | course, after which little will be heard— from the present Government benches—of the necessity for an elective Upper House. The deadlock that must ensue in Australia by reason of the two Houses liolding conflicting views on nearly all political questions should serve as a warning to this country against having two elective Houses. Far better, as we have said before, to have a revisory committee of special training and talent. The nominative system, itt theory, is the I best system, but it is open to abuse, and ilias been consistently abused by past Governments; and we don't expect the 1 present Government to rise above the miserable party spirit. The Government j will 110 doubt complete its land legislaI tion. Last year a section of Crown ! tenants were accorded the option of freehold upon fair and equitable terms, and the remaining Crown tenants, occupying lands not classified as "endowments," are to be similarly provided for. The country has declared for the freehold form of tenure, and the Government is right in giving effect to its policy in this regard. A Maori Land Bill is to be brought forward, but Ministers 1 have been singularly reticent regarding its provisions. It is a difficult problem, the solution, of which will tax the resources and ability of the new Government. Details of the measure that is to make accessible for settlement all the unused Maori land of the Dominion, on terms that will protect the interests of the Maoris, will be looked forward to

! witli considerable interest. Some talk I lias been indulged in regarding altering the tariff. Governments, however, fight shy of opening sueli a vast field of con- j | tention and log-rolling, and we will not be surprised if the Government gives J the subject a wide berth this session, j Certainly there is necessity for ovorI hauling the tariff, which is full of ini consistencies ami anomalies, and the I matter is of such importance that we would welcome the setting up of a specially qualified commission to take evidence and report upon it for submission J to Parliament next session. Banking | legislation is also promised. Bank of IXew Zealand stock to the amount of a million sterling, guaranteed by the Government, matures next year, and the j| question of its renewal and the relations | of tl'.e country generally with the bank g will no doubt be reviewed, as will the | establishment of a State Bank. A pro--9 posal is afoot to allow present shareI holders to take up new shares at par 3 instead of present value. When the Bank got into trouble years ago, the Government came behind the institution, which, as a result, has gone on prospering. Now the Bank feels it can do without the '■ Government pro]), and wishes to remove g it. managing its oivn affairs in its own way, and treating shareholders as it desires. But in any rearrangement or increase of capital, the State must be fully considered. The country is not going to allow the Bank, or any of its shareholders, to take all the cream without regard to the interests of the State. Tt will be interesting to observe the Government's attitude in regard to the banking legislation. So far. it h.ia been carefully concealed. An Immigration Bill is to be introduced, on lines discussed by the Hon. IT. D. Bell (printed elsewhere in this issue), and Bills dealing with the Police Force, Workers' Compensation, Counties, Shipping and Seamen, and a host of others. That hardy annual, the Local Government Bill, may also make its appearance. A lot has ' been promised for it that probably will never materialise. The Bill should provide much food for thought and contention. The Prime Minister has announced that the Government will stand by the principle of the Arbitration Act, but is making some alteration in its s working. What this will be is unknown. According to the Wellington Dominion, * which is supposed to enjoy the con- , fidence of Ministers, the Bill will embody i. provisions similar in nature to those i. which obtain in Canada, making a strike '• illegal, even where an unregistered union is concerned, until the parties to an industrial dispute have conferred witli a

view to arriving at a settlement, if possible. Another provision might be incorporated disfranchising an offender agaiiist the industrial laws, whieli are now broken with impunity when it suits the purpose of a particular class of worker, which, all the same, never fails to take advantage of all the benefits conferred under the Industrial Acts. On the whole, there will be plenty of work for Parliament this session, and it is to be hoped there will not be the same waste of time that generally characterises the work of our legislators, particu- | larly during the early stages of a session.