The Clutha Reader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1899.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXV, Issue 1309, 23 June 1899, Page 4

The Clutha Reader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1899.

meantime ?>ttt;pre<lict swbat may; eventuate daring the Session.

The final session of the present Parliament of the colony will be opened by his Excellency the Governor this afternoon. We have already published a list of the measures Mr Seddon has expressed his intention of introducing. The list is not a very formidable one, but of course the Premier has the long list of Bills that were discharged from the Order Paper of last session to fall back upon should he find such a course either desirable or necessary. It would be more than usually hazardous to express an opinion as to what is likely to be the result of the session. The circumstances are peculiar. In the absence in the Home Country of the Hon. John M'Kenzie, the Premier is left virtually single-handed to fight the battle of the Government and the party in the House. The recess, since the close of last session, he has devoted to electioneering throughout the length and breadth of the colony. The consideration and preparation of new measures to be introduced he has left to the permanent heads of the departments who, no doubt, will furnish him with type-written explanations of their contents and, during debate, will have a seat beside him to be ready to prompt replies to questions. This, however, even Mr Seddon must feel to be a highly unsatisfactory state of matters and may lead him to seek to undertake as little legislation as possible and only have a short session. Indeed he has already announced that his intention is to clear the decks as soon as possible and let the members home to start the election campaign. His followers will no doubt support him in this, but the Opposition will have a. big" say in the question, and then a few awkward questions they will insist on being answered before the session is closed. If any credence is to be given to reports that have been freely circulated of . late, it would seem that the "Liberal" tide, especially in the North Island, has turned, and, if so, Mr Seddon must expect the ebb to gradually get stronger. He will, therefore, be anxious to get amongst the people as soon as possible. In order to do this he may ride for a fall, obtain a dissolution, and resume his "Boyal Progresses" throughout the country. But on this policy also he will have the Opposition to reckon with, and they may decline to adopt any step that might ultimately result in a dissolution. It is recognised that the Opposition party will be strong this Session, while the : Ministerialists are extremely weak. The latter will no doubt vote solid, as directed, as usual, but at same time they know they have immediately thereafter to account to their constituents, and thai it will be necessary for their own safety that during this session they manifest some independence of character. Like that of the Premier, their position is a somewhat difficult one, and, as we have said, it would 'be hazardous in the

The referendum on the Federal Enabling Bill was taken throughout New South Wales on Tuesday last, and, as will be seen from the returns published elsewhere, the electors by a very large majority favour the measure. It may be remembered that in the referendum taken in the same colony on the bill of last year, the voting was 71,595 in its favour and 68,228 against it. The bill was, however, lost because it contained a proviso^ that 80,000 votes were required to carry it. The amended bill does not embody this proviso, but it would not have affected the result if it had, seeing the voting on Tuesday was 100,034 in favour and 78,239 against. It will thus be seen that during the year a large advance of popular sentiment has taken place in favour of federation. Yet there appears to be a substantial minority who do not favour federation. As we explained before, the opposition to the measure is founded on the fear that for a time at least it will lead to increased taxation within the colony, and also because of the provision in the bill that although the capital of the Commonwealth is to be in New South Wales it must not be within one hundred miles of Sydney. This latter provision offended the selfish instincjis.of the merchants and magnajea of 'Sydney, .'who feared a loss of business and prestige for their fair and prosperous , city. The vote given by Sydney and suburbs was about equally divided while the country districts declared by a large majority for federation. The result of the referendum, it is believed, virtually decides the fate of the measure, and it is now fully anticipated that within a few months the whole of the Australian colonies will be united in one grand Commonwealth. There can be no doubt that, thus federated they will posssess a power and influence for good they never could claim in their present disjointed condition.