TIRED OF TALK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12083, 11 August 1917, Page 9

TIRED OF TALK.

_ SLACK MOOD IN THE HOUSE. (Special to the " Star") WELLINGTON. August 11. The session opened very well from the point of view of the interest taken by members in their lAisiness, but a slack mood has succeeded ail itliis enterprise. Carrying on tho Address-in-Reply fur a month was on indication of the critical state of mind in winch legislators ;ipr,roachod the work ahead of them. They felt incensed > by tho Government's policy of practically ignoring the private member, bust this feeding is wearing; off, as it. has been discovered that the Government has followed in important respects in its Budget the suggestions puc forward during the lengtHy debate. "What makes mosij tor the slackness now evident in the House—slackness indicated not only by the discussions, but bv a poor attendance of members except, during the opening hours, is the lack of an organised opposition. Lormoriy, the. work of criticism was arranged so that most members had a task allotted to them, and there was a feelinc of responsibility. Now no member lias any special reason to be alert, and on the spot', and has no spocinl duty beyond the genevci and in* definite "on« of looking after his constituents' interests. There has boon .'ome difficulty _ m keeping the Financial Debate alive, and it has not so far been particulaily eventful, it is expected to last another week, and Ministers will no do'ubt come into r tho arena, to give it a reviver. The most interesting part of the parliamentary day seems to be question time, when members, by means of urgent questions without notice, extract valuable items of information from the Ministerial benches. Matters political, though dull to-day, will soon become, more lively, for Cabinet about to deal with the licensing question. and when the Financial Debate is out of the way. important Bills, such as the amendment of the. Military Service Act, with its lowering of the military age—-a.,' point' which will arouse strong opposition- -will come forward.