The Press. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1897. WHO ARE THE OBSTRUCTIONISTS ?

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9887, 18 November 1897, Page 4

The Press. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1897. WHO ARE THE OBSTRUCTIONISTS ?

Mr. Seddon, even with his majority of six, finds that he is not able to trample roughshod over the House as he used to do, and he is obviously very angry at the discovery of his own impotence. When he had his big battalion at his back, and every member of his party trembled at his frown, he used, about this period of the session to make up his mind what measures were to be carried and what jobs were to be rushed through, and his will became law. By his policy of " bounce and bluster," and with the aid of the most servile following that ever sat in the New Zealand Parliament, he was very successful in carrying out his object. The Opposition protested against the scandalous manner in which money was voted and Bills passed without any pretence at proper consideration, but they were few in number and they were unable to make any effective stand. This session it is different. The Opposition are not only able and determined, but they have the strength of numbers. They have set themselves to the task of exposing jobs which the Government wish to perpetrate in secret. They are determined to leave no constitutional means untried of forcing the Government to give information which the public are entitled to receive, but which the Ministry are strangely disinclined to give. Furthermore, the Opposition are doing their best to ensure the business of the House being conducted in its proper order and in a straightforward and constitutional fashion. Everyone will admit that these are very reasonable requirements, and that the Opposition would be failing in their duty as an Opposition if they did not put forth every effort to keep the Government in a straight path in these respects.

Now there is only one way in which the House can bring pressure to bear on a Government which is false in its duty to the country, and that is by refusing supplies. The Opposition, in adopting the course which Mr. Seddon had found so unpalatable, had two objects in view. The first was to ensure that some amount of discussion and consideration should be given to the Estimates, instead of their being praoliically swallowed en bloc, as in previous sessions. The second was, by declining to allow the Estimates to be forced through at lightning speed, to compel the Government to perform thoir obvious duty in other respects. The way in which the Government have deliberately and persistently refused to give information to the public has become a crying scandal. Ministers refuse to answer questions put to them in the House, and when information is sought by way of motion they take care not to allow the motion to be brought on. There are on the Order Paper at the present time no fewer than sixty-one " orders of the day" and forty-three notices of motion. A large proportion of the latter have been tabled by members with, a view to extracting information from the Government as to the manner in which the business of the country has been conducted. The Government, however, while prepared to abuse their position to almost any extent, are determined that none of their abuses shall be exposed if they can possibly prevent it. Their great object has been to pass one or two Bills which the country would probably be better without, to perpetrate the usual assortment of jobs, to get the money | voted with all possible expedition, and jto burke all inconvenient enquiries. ! The Opposition and the Left Wing j set themselves to frustrate this 'little scheme, and are certainly eni titled to the thanks of the country for the public-spirited stand they have taken.

Mr. Seddon and Mr. M-Kenzes finding themselves foiled hold up their hands ia pious horror and righteous indignation at what is being done. They tell us that during all the years they have been in Parliament they have never witnessed such " unconstitutional " behaviour as that of the Opposition. We should like to ask these virtuous gentlemen one or two questions :—During their long and varied parliamentary experience do they ever remember a previous case in which, after the House had been two months in session, the Government had not even set up the usual sessional Committees ? Do they ever remember any other Government which so deliberately suppressed all freedom of enquiry into their conduct ? Lastly, do they ever remember any other Government which allowed ,two months of a session to pass by without bringing down a single policy measure worthy of the name ? Which, then, are the obstructionists—the Government who decline to proceed with the work of the country or to give it any information, Or the Opposition, who say to tha Government,

" Until you attempt to do some work, and until you take the country into your confidence, we will not of our own free will vote you any supplies ?" The common sense of the public will at once answer this question. It has, however, been answered in the mo3t effectual way by Mr. Seddon himself. Last night he once more " olimbed down " by conceding the Opposition demands. Thus, after all his ineffectual bounce and bluster, did he admit, in the most convincing way, that those demands were right and just. We heartily congratulate those who have bf»en fighting for the privileges of the House and the rights of the public on the victory they have gained.