NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1926, Page 8

NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL.

LICENSING BILL DROPPED. NO SIGN OF SOLUTION. RUSHING OF LEGISLATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Sept. 8. The somewhat farcical career of the Licensing Amendment Bill, wliich was finally removed from the Order Paper yesterday, at least served the useful purpose of showing that the liquor problem is just as far from amicable solution as it was when a weary Government handed over the whole tiresome business to a popular referendum. It is stated that the Prime Minister had an understandug with a large body of organised, electors that in the event of his return to office he would submit to Parliament at the earliest possible moment proposals for extending the period between the licensing polls and affording owners and licensees some security of tenure. If this really was the purport of the understanding then, of course, the Bill just withdrawn fell very far short of the Alinister’s share of the contract. But as far as can be gathered from available reports of his electioneering speeches, Air. Coates never went further than to promise that the electors would be given an opportunity to decide the questions for themselves. This pledge he sought to redeem at the earliest possible moment, and but for the Imperial Conference intervening he probably would have done so. His mistake seems to have been in attempting the impossible. HASTY LEGISLATION. Nover before in the history of the Dominion’s Parliament has legislation been rushed through boilT branches of the Legislature at such a pace as that maintained during the last week or two. The work of a week is being compressed into a day, and even the Government’s best friends are beginning to fear what the result may be. “It is unfortunate,” says the Dominion, referring to the farmers’ finance Bills, “that these proposals should come before Parliament at so late a stage of the session. It is not so much that there is any strong ground for exception to either of them. On the contrary, they may both be regarded as useful measures, which may assist the primary producers of the country in a very material degree. But it is regrettable that insufficient time has been afforded for a full discussion of the very important problems associated with the financing of the farming industry.” The Post, as is its wont, expresses itself in much more emphatic terms. Referring to the shape in which the Native Land Amendment Bill was sent up from the House to the Council, for instance, it prays that the nominated chamber will not as grossly disregard the public interests as did the representative chamber. Rush legislation, it declares, has shaken to its very foundations the laud transfer system of, the Dominion. THE MISSING LEADER. Gossips are busy, with the change that has come over the Legislative Council since the guiding hand of Sir Francis Bell was withdrawn and a comparative novice set up in its place. For the first time in many years party and personal dissensions have marked, the progress of business, and even invaded the lobbies. Feeling ran so high during the discussion of the Religious Exercises in schools Bill that pairs were refused in the crucial division on the measure, and members passed one another in the passages aud in the street without recognition. Blame for this deplorable state of affairs is laid largely on the shoulders of one or two of the new “Lords,” who, it is said, have brought up from “the other place” methods and manners which have been unknown in the revising chamber for many years. The Summer Time Bill appears to have been made almost as great a bone of contention by certain members as was the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill, and it was the refusal of pairs to absent supporters of the measure that brought about its rejection. When one remembers the happy relations between councillors maintained under Sir Francis Bell’s sway the change seems incredible, but the facts are notorious aud indisputable. OFF tSIDE. The discussion on the second reading of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Bill in the House last night brought about a little breeze between the Minister of Finance and Air. A. Harris, the member for Waitemata. Air. Harris implied that in framing the Bill the Government had been improperly influenced by people interested in the issue. Further developments are awaited with tense interest.