The Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1912. LEGISLATIVE REST.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143768, 17 April 1912, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. (DAILY EVENING) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1912. LEGISLATIVE REST.

A great statesman who was also something of an author made one of his characters say, in effect, that a bad government which had stability was better than a better government which was unstable. It was only another way of saying that the devil one knows is to be preferred to the devil one doesn’t know. Pursuing this train of thought one may easily be led to the conclusion that the best thing that can happen in Hew Zealand politics just now is a period of legislative rest, such as the Premier promised at Manaia’ the other day, combined with better administration. During the long reign of the Liberal Party a vast amount of legislation has been placed upon the statute books, much of which is still unassimilated. The Dominion has suffered not only from defective administration, but also from a kind of legislative indigestion. For the latter the best remedy may be the starvation cure. The body politic has endured perpetual irritation for many years past, for before the friction caused by one piece of legislation has subsided another irritating Act has been passed that has kept the old wound raw or opened a fresh one. Hence the need for rest to allow the wounds to heal, or the friction to wear away, so that the machinery may work smoothly. On the other hand it may be argued that to stand still is to go back,,, but ,this A like many another

■i -saying - , must not be taken too literally.. An occasional brief 4 breatliing-tirae is necessary for fbe -strongest and fastest runner ; the-best macbincry requires to be 'Sometimes given a spell. For tweriily-ono years Hew Zealand’s. i legislative machinery has run practically continuously. Mr. ’ Seddon used to talk of a legislative rest, but he kept the machinery running as long as he lived, .'and after him Sir Joseph Ward, f -with characteristic vigour, worked 1 lit harder than ever. Now the ; 'Hon. T. Mackenzie, possibly pro--1 -posing to make a virtue of' neces--1 siiy, suggests legislative rest, and I annearances point to our having it, for parties are so equally divided that it will be a difficult matter indeed to pass any controversial measures. Tet the new Premier has associated with him men of pronounced views, and he ’ is dependent also for a hare majority upon the support of the Labour members, who will assuredly not he content to mark time even for a session. Then the new Ministry is in a measure pledged to carry out—if it can—the programme mapped out by Sir Joseph Ward in the last Governor’s Speech, a somewhat embarrassing legacy for a man who professes to want less legislation. If Mr Mackenzie can restrain the i legislative ardour of his Ministers, i f if he can stop the clock for a • twelve-month, content himself with remedying some of the most glaring defects of previous hasty law-making, and at the same time = give the country good businesslike administration, he will have dose some service and possibly ’ pave the way towards a coalition 1 of the best elements of both sides t of the House. One thing alone ? seems to be clear, that there must be another general election before : either of the existing parties can hope to have a majority suffiv ciently strong to carry a forward ■ policy which does not commend . itself to both sides. A legislative rest will clear the air, give ’ the country time to appraise the value of past legislation more accurately than is possible when 1 new is continually being added to “j cloud the issues, and, above all, give the Ministry more time to ' overhaul the administration of their departments. New Zealand stands most in need of a sane ; policy of land settlement and a steady development of its resources by means of roads and I bridges and railways. Legisla--3 tion may stand still without any t harm being done for a short sea--5 son, but there is urgent need of 5 opening up the country for the 7 purpose of increasing its producg tive capabilities . For that rea- = son the political deadlock which seems to have arisen may almost , be welcomed, and we can patiently await whatever the future has . in store in the way of political development.