THE END OF THE SESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 244, 12 October 1907, Page 9

THE END OF THE SESSION.

(From Our Special correspondent.} LONDON; August 30; Parliament has prorogued this week with the usual old-time ceremonial, and jaded legislators have fled far and wide to enjoy the remnants of the summer on holiday: A good deal of work was accomplished in the closing weeks of the session, but of all the bills that have passed into law the Deceased Wife's fister Bill is the only one that the pubiO , *as shown any special interest in. The arguments solemnly advanced by Lord Hugh Cecil and the Bishops in opposition to this particular piece of useful legislation made rather painful reading, but. fortunately, good sense prevailed over all obstacles, and one more obsolete and ridiculous anamoly eliminated from the marriage customs of this wonderful land. As regards other measures, the Government have had their English Small Holdings Land Bill passed, and their Scottish Land Bill rejected by the Lords, and have dropped their Irish "devolution" Bill. A Territorial Army Bill was passed, and several useful and non-contro-versial measures like the Patents Bill, the Criminal Appeal Bill, the Factory and Workshops Bill, and the Companies Bill found their way into law. But in none of these can the public be said to have shown any interest, and for want of a good rallying-cry the Prime Minister's of the House of Lords has fallen rather flat. You cannot expect a multitude of home-keeping, easy-going, patient, and placid people to work themselves into a fury of zeal over a theory of surplus values, or the wrongs, however real, of Scottish crofters and Irish tenants. The average man needs something that appeals to his imagination to rouse him, and these things are beyond the scope of his imagination.

No reputations have been created during the session thus ended. The young bloods of the Opposition had a- fine chance to distinguish themselves, Tind quite failed to rise to the occasion. In this connection the comments of a well known Press gallery critic, Mr Spencer Leigh Hughes, are interesting. Lord Tumour, he says, "is suffering under that most appalling fate that can overtake a Parliamentary youngster, in being generally recognised as 'well-mean-ing.' He would like to do something, but he knows not what to do or how to do it. Lord Balcarres goes one step further, and shows that he knows precisely how not to do it. Lord Robert Cecil overdoes it. Lord Castlereagh (the young brigade consists chiefly of lords) has a habit of going to sleep while speaking—and his habit is contagious. Sleeping himself, he nf y es his hearers sleep." As for Sir Gilbert Parker, this caustic critic observes that "in spite of having talked a great deal, he has never said anything." The only members of the Opposition who have advanced their reputation are, he says, two- veterans— Mr Henry Chaplin and Mr Jesse Collings." As for the rest of the House, "by far the greater part are in no danger of losing any reputation, for they have none to lose."