THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10231, 14 August 1911, Page 1

THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT.

[From Ot:r Cokrksponi:-kxt.] | WELLINGTON, August 13. " What has been is and shall be evermore." The second week of tlie session of 1911 has been very liko the second week of the session of 1910. l.t hn.s welcomed three old friends, the Mokau lands transaction, now ik-hjlj •«. sexagenarian; the Civil Service Reform disagreement, precipitated by an Opposition malcontent; and the plea for a new cauital Ritp. which may one day make the name of George Laurenson illustrious. For the rest, the week has been somewhat remarkable for the progress of the Town- Planning Bill, which actually reached the committee stage, a fact that shows how quickly good legislation might be passed if members would' only cut away the clinging impedimenta of windy debate. The Mokau land affair appeared in a new guise, but a very complete report on the matter, presented by the Acting-Prime Minister, left the Opposition with very little ground to stand on. Mr Massey, who has walked more circumspectly since his alleged " gang of speculators" turned out to be largely his own supporters, had abandoned his usual panacea, the Royal Commission, and merely debated the constitution of the committee to which the report was to be referred. In this Mr Massev transgressed his own canons on proportional representation, for he demanded that fifty per cent of the members of the committee should be Opposition members, forgetting that such a course would give his party a proportion to which it could never justly be entitled. Eventually the report was referred to the right quarter, the Native Affairs Committee.

" Sycophants and timeservers," was the elegant name chosen by Mr Herdman to apply to the race of Civil servants which, be said, would grow up under the present system of appointment. His method of discussing the matter was to move for leave to introduce an alleged Bill bearing on the subject, and, to use the words of an apologetic contemporary, "he took the opportunity of speaking on the measure.'' With the air of a confident political prestidigitateur, Mr Jierdman explained not so much what was in the Bill as what was not in it. The fact among the initiated was taken to mean that the Bill might or might not be

in existence. However, time will tell At any rate, if the discussion was introduced by a. side wind it was blown out again by a ministerial blast from the Hon T. Mackenzie that left the Chamber sweeter than before. Friday afternoon was spoilt in nailing up the coffin of Sir Herdmsurs shadowy Bill, but it will be disinterred next year if Mr Herdman gets back to the House. In the meantime the member for "Wellington Nort-li could not forbear to lay about him in the course of his reply, and a reference to "political jellyfish" drew from the Hon R. M'Kenzie the gruff challenge that Mr Herdman should call him a jellyfish. '''oli 3 no," the member replied, "I should call you a flounder," and the Ship of State moved on before the Minister could think of a suitable fishy name to offer back. Words were wasted for nearly five hours on Friday evening in an endeavour to establish whether the Gover-nor-in-Couricil is Lord Islington surrounded by eight Cabinet Ministers or merely one Minister advised by the officers of his Department. The House wanted to know, because the Town Planning Bill, as brought down by the Hon G. Fowlds, gave certain powers to the Governor-in-Counnlj which the House eventually decided to take away from him. Messrs Russell, Davey and , "Watty declared that the provison was | undemocratic. The Minister declared hotlv that it was democratic. Mr Russell described this view as rubbish. "As far as this Bill is concerned,, he said, " the Governor-in-Council is sitting there, and is no other than the Hon Roderick M'Kenzie." Mr M Kenzie declared that he was blushing to the roots of his beard, but there were a great many sceptics when he denied, the soft impeachment. At all events, there was a majority of five against the much-debated Governor-m-oouncu, and out he went. The Minister persevered with hi 3 Bill till midnight, when he capitulated and the Hou&e went home for the week-end. When the Bill will be restored to the top of the Order Paper is not known. There is a feeling that ■ however praiseworthy it may be it is experimental and little objections are levelled against it m many respects. A The discusion was instructive, ns showing the inability, of some members to keep to the main issues, rheyfloudered about in the shoals and depths of debate, at one time hotly aiscussmg the Smith incident in which it will be remembered the Minister of P u » lic Works refused to hear one Smith at a tramway deputation .because be had. given out a confidential State document to a Wellington paper, presumably to discredit the Government. lo a mere Christchurch man this would appear to be a grave offence, but the workings of the Wellington are as a serpent upon a rock, and it came as no surprise to these who have studied the northern politician to hear the member for Wellington Suburbs brazenly declaring that Mr Smith had erred In one thing only, namely, his failure to give the confidential document to all the newspapers instead of to the Opposition organ. Then the chairman of committees asserted himself with the remark that he would hear no more of Smith or his works. The "hardy annuals" of debate do not afford their owners much joy now. whatever they may do hereafter. Soma day Sir William Steward will rejoice that deceased wives' nephews and nieces may marry, and his Marriage Act will trouble the House no more. Some day Mr Uerdman's Civil Service Reform Bill will lie passed-~perhnps. Some day Mr Lauren son will see a new capital where rents are not so dear, and noisy electric cars do not awake one at six in the morning. However, the discussion of his perennial proposal camo opportunely at a time when town planning was in the air. He offered the tempting.bait to Parliament of immortality if it adopted his proposal. but the House was not yearn-* mg to be imomrtalised in that way. Nevertheless, Mr Laurenson is sowing useful seed, although a good deal of it falls on stony ground, and he will not grieve even although the capital comes after his fighting days are over.