WORK FOR PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1931, Page 6

WORK FOR PARLIAMENT.

The very brief forecast, published on Saturday, of the nature of the work to be undertaken by Parliament during its final session will have won general approval. If the Prime Minister’s intention is carried out, the House of Representatives will tackle serious business as soon as it meets. Legislation dealing with unemployment is being drafted, ami, apart from that, Mr. Forbes says, the Government will not bring down far-reaching measures. It is to be presumed that the first question of importance to be tackled will be that of the provision- required to satisfy the demands of the unemployment schemes. Temporary measures will be essential, but it is to be hoped that the Government and Parliament will be fully alive to the necessity for a definitely constructive programme. They cannot do their job by merely authorising means of financing relief works; it is imperative that they should make provision fort such an adjustment of industrial and commercial conditions as would bring about the gradual absorption of the unemployed in worth-while occupations. The only other subject which would seem to demand anything like lengthy consideration is finance. Mr. Forbes, it is to be hoped, will seek authority for further economies, and he will require legislation to provide revenue and sanction expenditure. The discussion of these matters should afford members ample opportunity to express their views on any subject which may be regarded as interesting to the constituencies. and there need lie no waste of time. In the .final session of a Parliament members naturally are inclined to talk to the electors, and both the Address-in-Reply and the Financial Statement debate are usually very lengthy. This is a year when both debates could be cut down to the absolute minimum, members reserving their speeches until the second reading and committee discussions on actual legislation. It is, after all, open to question

whether what is -said in the formal debates makes any great impression on the electorates, and just now most people would be glad to think that Parliament would practise economy in the transaction of its own business. The country certainly does not expect its elected representatives to spend many costly days in mere talk, nor to waste time" on unnecessary legislation. The electors probably would be best pleased if members would restrain themselves so as to permit the Prime Minister to bring the session to a close considerably earlier than usual. Private members, at any rate, would be the gainers, for they 'would have all the more time among their constituents, personal contact with whom is likely to be a more effective campaign weapon than even the most eloquent speeches delivered at Wellington.