Editorial Comment

Progress, Volume X, Issue 6, 1 February 1915, Page 193

Editorial Comment

It is consoling to see how the world turns round and business goes on though the politicians have come to a dead end in New Zealand. There were Jeremiahs who predicted that if a general election took place, the country's trade would get a set-back. However, the producing season set in even earlier than usual, and at such a pace that some anxiety was felt about the supply of shipping to get the stuff to England, for without access to our market 15,000 miles distant we might almost as well grow thistles as raise meat. The tonnage problem appears to have settled itself, but the political tangle needs judges to unravel in some cases, and judges must not be hurried. The Massey Government is acting wisely in going on with administrative work just as confidently as if it possessed one of those comforting Seddonian majorities for which it pined for nearly twenty years. Unfortunately, the Governments confident attitude cannot justify it in committing possible successors to big new schemes, consequently we are not likely to see any important State undertaking commenced until one side or the other is fairly seated in the ministerial saddle. # # * # ! Whatever the outcome, it is obvious that no party will have a very substantial majority in the new Parliament; nor will any politician secure enough solid backing to push through so evenly divided a legislative throng, any measure likely to arouse high party feeling. In our Town Planning article in this issue it is suggested that the politicians will have a splendid opportunity of doing useful non-contentious work of great importance if they pass a comprehensive Town Planning Act next session. Such a measure is badly needed, and we cannot understand how so able a gentleman as the Hon. H. D. Bell, Minister of Internal Affairs, could tell a deputation— he did some time ago— no fresh legislation is needed to carry out Town Planning Ideals. If a single local authority wishes to carry out some public improvement within its own boundaries, it has