The Daily News SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 1935. END OF THE SESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1935, Page 6

The Daily News

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 1935. END OF THE SESSION.

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The Parliamentary session which closes to-day has been the least spectacular of a .series of somewhat drab gatherings of legislators. The shadow of the approaching election, and the completion in the preceding session of the Government’s programme of economic relief legislation had left little new ground to be broken in the session just closing. Its principal function has been the amendment of legislation in which weaknesses had appeared and the extension of certain administrative laws until they can be reviewed by a new Parliament. In one respect the session has been more fortunate than its predecessors. It has been held in a period when optimism has had more stable foundation than for a long time, and when prophets of gloom have had considerably less influence than they had commanded during the earlier years in which the National Government has held office. One of the more important efforts of the past session has' been that made by the Minister of Employment, the Hon. S. G. Smith. He has, with the aid of the Minister of Public Works, endeavoured to re-organise relief of unemployment so that it may become not merely a means of sustenance for the relief worker, but may set his feet on the path that leads to ordinary occupation at normal rates of wages. The series of public works proposed, the subsidies offered , to private undertakings, even the much discussed mortgage relief legislation are all parts of the same plan by which it is hoped to stimulate enterprise and thus get rid of unemployment. Already the improved prices obtainable for butter and cheese,

in spite of the fluctuations of the market, are having their effect upon the general community. The spirit of enterprise is awakening, and there is all the better chance of the public works programme approved in the past session of Parliament assisting to create the momentum which will carry trade and enterprise over the remainder of the difficult portion of the road back to prosperity brought about by normal occupation being available for all who are ready and able to accept it. The fact that the works suggested are to be undertaken without seeking loans oversea should lessen any tendency to squander public money, and the fact that such a programme can be financed within the Dominion without any interference with the monetary system, or by any other departure from recognised methods of obtaining public revenue at low cost, is another indication of the economic recovery that is proceeding. The public works programme is open to criticism in regard to some of the details. It could have been more generous in regard to back-blocks reading and postponed such matters as a bituminised road for tourists to reach a playground. There are other items equally open to the charge of being less important than works which have been omitted from the programme. Transcending even the public works programme in importance, however, have been the financial proposals laid before Parliament. The Budget gave slight relief to taxpayers, mostly in regard to the unemployment tax, but it left most of the other “emergency” taxes untouched. It is true that in a Finance Bill to be discussed in the dying hours of the session Mr. Coates promised to give any further relief made possible by the improvement in revenue experienced since his estimates were framed, but how far he can go in that direction had not been determined at a late hour last night. It is not, however, on the accomplishments of the present session that the Government will appeal to the electorate for a renewal of confidence. The appeal will rest upon the policies initiated during the past few years, of which, the Ministry contends, the benefits are now beginning to be experienced. In one respect the session will close with regret among politicians of all parties. . That regret is due to the realisation that when the new Parliament meets it will no longer have the guidance of the present Speaker, Sir Charles Statham. . He has maintained in that high, office all its traditions of tact, impartiality and regard for the rules made by Parliament for its own governance. Sir Charles leaves office assured of the respect and appreciation of his fellow members, and of the general community,. for difficult duties well performed.