The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1926. THE DEBATE OPENS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 June 1926, Page 6

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1926. THE DEBATE OPENS.

If the Prime Minister seeks one fresh iiehl to explore' in the -highly commendable task he' has accepted of infusing more business in Government, ho might very well consider the advisability of abolishing' the Address-in-lteply debate. This expensive superfluity was opened in the House last evening', and two new members talked for neaily two hours 1 without utterance to a single new political idea. It is surely not necessary in these days to assure the country that “Mr Coateses an out and out Imperialist, and that wo mav “safely leave New Zealand’s interests in the lnme Minister’s hands at the iorllieoming Imperial Conference. That inis been said a. thousand times already. The mover of the resolution that a respecttul address bo, tendered the Gover-nor-General, coming fresh from the south, could not resist making reference to the. Dunedin Exhibition, while the us } ia threadbare remarks about the Dominion trade balance were indulged in. The seconder ot the resolution did rise, to the occasion in some respects' at least, lie said he intended avoiding the making of long speeches. Ik© whole business is a relic of bygone days when unready Government's accepted the time occupied by the speakers taking pait m the debate, as a breathing space in which to overtake arrears of correspondence or. formulate Ihe session’s legislative proposals. No one could argue that ihe House of 11 cprcsentatives was profitably employed last evening listening to the time-lionoruecl delivery of the speeches marking the opening of what invariably resolves itself into an inordinately long and uninteresting outpouring' of words. If the debate were marked by any display of real oratory or resolved itse.lt into a lively battle of words, it might bo regarded as an entertaining - phase of parliamentary life, but since it is the right of every member —and there are few orators in the House-—to occupy a full hour talking into Hansard, the painfully tamo discussion following the delivery of the Speech from'the Throne, has come to be regarded by the great majority of the electors as a sheer waste of time and money. It might be urged in favour of retaining the present procedure, that the Address-in-lteply debate gives the now member an opportunity to find his feet, since it is permissible to discuss any topic under the sun without incurring the displeasure of the Speaker. The painful fact remains, however, that Governments in the past, have come to regard the debate as affording enterprising and enthusiastic members . an opportunity, to voice their views and incidentally provide Cabinet Minister's with now food for thpught, and at the same time providing the rank and file ot Parliament with an opportunity to address their constituencies tli mug'll Hansard, and gain some much-desired publicity through the- press. If Mr Coates and his colleagues are eager to push on the work of the session, they will very soon feel restless under the pall of words which will fall on the House of Itepre-

nenta lives during the next week. The Leader of the Opposition Jins already tabled notice of an amendment to the Address-in-lleply, doubtless with the object of launching an attack on the Government. Already? the parties have faced a test of strength, and the result demonstrated the numerical suiierioriiy of the Government. Party, and the notable weakness of the Official Opposition. Subsequent hostile motions will meet a. similar fate, and now that the relative strength of the parlies has been determined, we fail to see what useful purpose the Opposition can hope to serve by persisting in a futile attack on Hie Government by means of no-confidence motions. If the Labour Parly desires to denounce the Government, the time for criticism is when the Government’s legislative measures are before the House. But, of course, existing procedure must bo respected, and under the circumstances there is no escape, at least this year, from the dreariness inseparably associated with the long-winded debate following the opening of Parliament and the deliverance of the Speech, from the Throne.