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Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1904, Page 4

THE COMING SESSION.

The speculation* aroused by tho illness of tho Premier haw formed the chief j topic of iiiU>re.«t m political circles duiing taw lust few mouths, and have entirely I odipH'd the ordinary run of political subjects in the public mind. But there are three questions which luve maintained their interest through tho languors of the earlier p;uLs of tho iccws, and cvck through tho period of speculation to which we have referred, and thew arc licencing,, land tenure, and religious m&t ruction 111 school*. Tho licwHiiig question, which usually gives us n ivst for some considerable tinio after the local option poll, has on this occasion fctlien no holiday at all, a.id the piolong^tl litigation whii-h in it« various phaa>* ha» occupied ,the Couil.s over since tho poll is only just at an end. Whichever of the alternative nbsurdi tics was selected by the Privy Council ux the- pieferablo interpretation of a nojiwtwieul statute, U av,.ia .inevitable that lrgisl'ilion would be needed to mako moro reasonable provision for the future; and it is lo by. hoped that v measure on tho Hues of tho Colonial Suci\-Uiry's Regula tion of _ Loral Elections Bill of 'last session will dispose of the. acutest of popular grievances in an equitable manner for all concerned. But on this .subject of liwns. ing legislation proper the Government will bo wise 1o *rtay its hand, unless it can deviso pom? thing less extravagant thiui lost yvar.'a Bill. The Bible in Schools qiu.siion also demands treatment. Tho Bill introduced by Mr. Arnold, M.JI.H., hst year Avas not a good model, and the Ktrango experience ot Victoria has surely brought homo to the politicians who hail thb le-fereiidum as a safe refuge from all responsibility that they must at least awmme the responsibility of putting the questions in a just and intelligible form. Tho two subjects wo have named it will bo difficult for Ministers lo ov,ido ; and tho land question, though they would doubtless preler to leave it alone, will probably be forced upon them by the Opposition. Tho only new light thrown upon tUis subject in the Piemier's speech at Newton n was in his pledge to go to the country rather than accept an amendment conceding the freehold at the valuations fixed nt the beghmim; of tho teuus now current. The growing dangers of monopolies a\Ul piopor'.y occupy the attention of Parliament, and* Mr. Seddon apparently intends U> re-nilioiluce the Bill of l{i*>t FefMoiij lo which the operations 0/ (he millets' hust and tho recent iluctuation.i in the price of bread Avill give a moro practical and urgent huuoituncc than it possessed a year ago. A Teachers' Superannuation Bill 011 sound financial lines is aKo s'orolv needed, and it is earnestly lo be hopL-d that one of the most deserving and most poorly paid professions in tho colony will nol be fuithur disappointed. But apart fiom these me.isiues them dne-s not appear to be much of capital importance that the Uovunnient is ready to submit to Pailimnont. Tho Stale nur.iing scheme is the only novelty that Mr. Seddon has evolved during the recess, and though it does credit to his benevolence, tho utmost caio will be needed lo prevent its degeneration into a pauperising agency of a very dangeious character. R-efonn of Inebriate-,' Homes, Prevention of Sale of Shoddy Goods-, Fiio Biijradts, and the Second Ballot aio also matters Avith which Parliament will piobably bo asked to deal. At tho besb the programme seems likely to be a mcagro one, but other ■ "matters Aviil of couise crop up to enable legislators to eke out their usual tcim of 1 fouc or live mouths. We havo indeed

, omilU'il ono m on*- ui o to which some may l/i i inclined lo .ittaeh importance, :uui wo liave done .so deliberately. 'L'lic Rt'fiii'ndum Bill will no doubt ifypeur again, und will be good, as before tor \\\<> ur tlneo days' debate, but for vt>ry Utfle else. Wo *hould like to ace tho Opposition displaying a, 111 tie less timidity and a little muiv j'inueriLy wheu this old fiirnd conii-.s ulonj; again. And wJiufc will Lej^Hiilivc Cuuncillois haj' lo it 'I We ( jmisL that they will again ram tho miblic gratitude by making .short wink of an unworkable and faiciral measure. It is Iruo that Mr. Soddon has thre-iU-nd thorn with annihilation if they do, but lie nally did not mean it, and Sir Joseph Wurd has made this quito clonr by his f,ul>«-eqncTit doclaration that wo cannot afford lo dispense with a .Second Chamber. Wo ne'jil ;i iSucond Chainbt'i", buf we do not need :inj' such B-pfererulum Bill ns Mr. Keddon has been fooling with for tho last three or four yenrs.