Notes From Parliament.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18548, 23 August 1928, Page 8

Notes From Parliament.

TOO MANY CANDIDATES, SAYS MR COATES. (Special to the ** Star.") WELLINGTON, August 23. “ The Prime Minister will have quite a lot to straighten out before he goes to the country," declared Mr Parry in the House last night. “He can’t rush to the country,” said Mr Parry. “ For instance, he’s got the Mid-Canterbury electorate to worry about. I know it must be a trying time for the member for Ellesmere. All he can do is to wait and see what is going to turn up. He has my very deep sympathy. Then there is much the same sort of thing in Wellington East. Mr Clark apparently has made up his mind to stand, and I see he has resigned from the executive of the Reform League." Mr Nash, saw the matter in a different light. Was it not a compliment to the Reform Party that there was such a plethora of candidates, he asked, lie thought it was. Mr J. A. Lee said that the Reform Party was not suffering from a plethora of candidates, so much as a plethora of supplicants. “ They have to promise to obey the crack of the whip if they are to receive the Refrom rubber stamp of approval." said Mr Lee.

Mr Coates said that there were many fine candidates anxious to stand for the Reform Party. “My only trouble," he said, “ is that there are not enough seats to go round. We can't have three candidates for one seat. That is one of my greatest difficulties.” A Labour member: Run them all. Mr Coates: Oh no, we won’t do that. “ Must Crack Whip."

That the Ministers and not the Departments are responsible for the policy was emphatically stated by the Prime Minister. Mr Coates said that the Minister propounded a policy and had to keep in direct contact with every detail of the administration. When the Minister brought his estimates into the committee of the whole then every member of the House had an opportunity of saying exactly what he thought.

Mr J. A. Lee: You crack the whip to keep them silent.

Mr Coates: One must crack the whip. After all there is the policy and it must go through. The civil servants were responsible for the administration, but they had to make that accord with the policy laid down by the Minister who must accept the responsibility and could not get out of it. The impression was created that a Minister did not control the departments but found the greatest pleasure in working with departmental officers. Once a decision was reached the officers worked in unison with him. If it were not so life would not be worth living.

Duty of Opposition. Surely it is the duty of the Opposition to oppose," remarked Mr Sullivan, after declaring that it was quite absurd and unfair to charge the Opposition with being responsible for delaying the business unnecessari.v. Mr Sullivan recalled the days when the present Government sat in opposition and said that the older members would relate with a broad smile and a good deal of glee how they held up a bill for so many hours and were quite pleased about it. “The Lord only knows," he said, “ what sort of legislation we would get from the present Government if it were not for the Opposition. Most of the legislation is bad enough as it is, goodness knows, but "'ha! it would be without the criticism of the Opposition I cannot imagine."

The Prime Minister: The hon gentle man means it is a good thing thu Opposition is no larger than it is for the good of the country. The Leader of the Opposition: That depends on the point of view. Mr Sullivan: I think the position can be best met bv* getting rid of the present Opposition 3nd putting them on the Government benches. (Laughter). There will not then exist the same necessity for opposition as at present. Cracks in Reform Party. There was facetious reference to "cracks” in the Reform Party. The Prime Minister was indulging in his favourite pastime of twitting the National Leader (Mr Forbes), who had stated before the session opened thar it would be a ver\* short session. “The hon gentleman seemed to know all about it,” said Mr Coates. “He said the session would last no time because the Reform Part\*. with the poor leader they had, would break up and it would all be over within six weeks, but it hasn’t quite happened that way \ r et. "There are a few cracks showing." shouted Mr J. A. Lee above the uproar of laughter. “Cracks? In the National PartyT” inquired Mr Coates, laughing. “No, in the Reform Part3',” said a member, amidst renewed laughter. Mr Forbes: Ah, but we haven’t seen the Licensing Amendment Bill yet. Mr Coates: No cracks at all. On the contrar\* we have so many fine candidates wanting to represent Reform that we can’t find seats for them and difficulties arc created. Mr M’Combs: What are >*ou going to do in Mid-Canterbur3 r ? This quer>* Mr Coates ignored with a smile. He went on to sa\' that whenever Mr Forbes talked about less Government in business and more business in Government Mr Forltes was really paying the Prime Minister a great compliment. “So many of his remarks resemble my own utterances that I believe he is being gradually won over,” said Mr Coates. Mr M’Combs said that it was strange, but he had always imagined that Mr Harding, a former President of the United States, had had the patent rights on that Yankee phrase, “Less Government in business and more business in Government." and now Mr Coates was taking credit for it. Mr 11. Atmore (Nelson) : It’s a case of two great minds think alike Mr M’Combs: Perhaps. Farmers’ Banks. The demand for farmers' banks which was heard during the Budget debate, received some attention from the Minister of Finance when replying. Taking the member for Gisborne as a typical advocate, Mr Stewart suggested that Mr L>’snar had been curiously contradictor3'. He was emphatic that what was wanted was more self-reliance on the part of farmers, yet he suggested that the Government should give iarmers’ banks a start with £5,000,000 and the farmers would raise £40,000,000. The Minister added that he agreed with the demand for more self-reliance, and if the scheme could be worked by farmers he would regard it as admirable. The proposed scheme was copied from other countries where farmers’ banks were lending to their Government. In Belgium one of these concerns loaned eight or nine millions to the State, but in New Zealand the process seemed all the other way. The Government would give the facilities and the machinery and if farmers would work it this was all to the good. “If they want an agricultural bank there is nothing to- prevent them starting it,” concluded Mr Stewart, “but all the schemes so far presented consist of the Government launching it, supplying the funds and taking only a, minor share in its management.’’