PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 25 September 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

The total result of ilio . ' 'stone-, wall" is that Parliament has lost time -and the Opposition have lost caste. Half the time usually devoted to a session of Parliament has passed, and important policy measures are awaiting tho consideration of the House. Under such circumta'noe the cotuntry is ontitled to expect Opposition tactics rto consist of something hettei' .thftn mere timewasting.—Auckland Herald.

Wecan of no reason why the : . legitimatfe function,? of" ill? . Legislative Council" ehcftild riot be performed by a coxhtxlitteo of qualified experts with polwer to make suggesl- - to the House of Representatives, and in certain cases to delay the passage of a Bill for a limited period or to order its submission to & r&foiv esdum of the electors. Such a committee would provide all the safeguards against hasty ill-consider-ed legislation which & Second Chamber is supposed to supply, and at the same time would give .to the direct* representatives of the people or to the people themselves the last word in the making of the laws of the country.— Lyttelton Times.

Whilst Sir Joseph Ward's criticism since he has been in Opposition has been what may be termed straight and fair criticism, so far as criticism is concerned, and in this respect in striking contrast with the wild assertions and futile attacks of front bench opponents of the Reform Government, it is rather disheartening to find him now indulging in the same etxravagant language regarding the ' Liberal party that was rather boring formerly.-r-Nelson Mail.

While we fully agree that the public should be protected against having shoddy boots and shoes imposed upon them as genuine leather, we think that at the same time the. tax oh" the genuine article might be lightened so as to lessen the cost of the boot bill in the workers' household. -Other industries flourish very comfortably with a protective duty of 20 per cent., and we do not see why the manufacture, of boots should require the present exceptional treatment.—Christchurch Press. (•, ■*