THE SESSION.

Evening Star, Issue 7402, 23 December 1887, Page 1

THE SESSION.

Triie first session of jwhjch has to-foy terminated lfr.prorpJW t W n J 'will bold, it maybe presumed, aVoonsplßhoqllt place in the political history of^|||# 0 land. The defeat of'ihe Srout-tSißr.* Minlßtry in the House; and the ttjettttGlf , their policy ba~ an appeal to<*hfroo<rttrV, inecessitated, their resignation, :anii l r 'M^S l, Atkinson had to accept iof his position and was with extreme reluctance that he uwra took the business,' for no one knew so well i the formidable difficulties wnich were to be encountered. , The,.honorable A geflfomgn, ; .however, was ; selection of his coDei^«i ; tion they have ably, supported, him in the House .and the ; ments already exhibit'signs of Mm, managementaad intelligentcondnct "Tffie prosMct at the commencement of the sescimF'was affihing bat a pleasing one. at hafitbeen llnimimb^'m^LejramMltt.mWßdfi •':";** **'fi'* (*»■ **-__t« i '__?'2ijfc»_L___L_L refananchmentln the public exoetUUEmpK ami it was therefore impeiravejHie&lra &ouW,va]t *e; jjeaat* initiated; butthq.financial its second qnacterranditiwouMbe close apok the fourth, as! indeed hw-ptoved' t6<be>tbi case, before anything eflwtiw v <?ouid ,'fj done. The Opposition -topk, thecWtroja tEe|ir Leader, Sir luiaurvocn_a, fuieered at 'the possibilities reform;., whilst amijng the ffinisterialiHts tna>y were hatf-hearted on.; tiie qnestipp* fearing . the application of the knife to localities and interests in which they had personal concern. Economy in tbeabstaad is a much virtue;'but whefft comes to particulars, it is as a rule sodlstastefulasto be avoided wherever possible. The Cabinet, in the face of the UngrQmfMhfr Wrcumstances, applied themselves resolutely to their duty, and within'a few days from their instalment in office-the Treasurer brought downthe Financial Statement, which broadly declared the Ministerial policy. He submitted to jParliamenft rand the clear and complete account of the financial position, and detailed the; measures which, in the opinion of the Government, were best calculated:-to relieve the, Colony. f&Afc present difficulties, j and' to prevent, |o far as possible, their recurrence 'fa, Jbe future. "The account I have'giyenj'* K* said," neither conceals nor exaggerates those "difficulties, while it shows that' '' within our power tobveroome • tbemsrtt "needs but the will to do it And:flie /'measures which I have proposed, r?rem. "bodying as they do three trite,,,huf *' vital economic principles of foregoing "such things as we can more; eajjjyjspare " tl an pay for/of making suoh money as we "spend produce the best possible result, and " of increasing and encouraging the wealth"producers of the Colony, i»nd " also, last but not least, a/ wh©lesakjief» measures "commepd themselves to this Goqpipee "(the Jlnanoial Statement is "livered in Committee of SnppiyJ> -Mt 4 "believe they will to the country *%-tatg4CT The paragraphs quoted'put the Ministerial a nutshell, and that these-prin-ciples and the action oi-Mims'ters so far in giving them effect have commended themEeiyes td the fe' ifow.J' history.: The Financial Statement wis, indeed, so well, received' throU^mrt' , jffib Colony that the Opposition found' selves, to aptly express their JMWOJiIoa their backs, and dared not venture onqpen attack. It was from day on which the Statement was delivered, a foregone conclusion that Ministers could not be shaken intiieir seats; but Sir Junes, unfortunately fbrj-his still clone to the hope of getting nick into office, and usedrto that eveiy conoejypble and the most unscrupulous In tactics, however, he met his match hftne Premier, who was one too many for bim all through; and- finally so" belabored htm -witti his pwu. " Protectipii". stick ti»athe jras effectually finished up for. the Bession. ~ The Government have not only, had with what'up to a certain point was legitimate opposition,' but have 'had ttf'rcfcal witij' the/'deliberate Premier has conducted the the-House with consummate ness, and tact. It was onlyj^y ; very stiff back indeed that he nas succeeaed in to the initiation of-his policy; and if now aod' again - hei'. has appeared:' displayed absolutism- and aa imperious literpefc ;% ,waa Vtij '.^S^iff'Ministers riost scored a wifl.,.: v Thjy7ihaYf jcanied afltiiel policy measures' which, they cared to do tiifa ses.aion, ! and, l bs,yet.sj|owif} by tte ment effectedrhpwvjgofously they intend to proceed with'this'essential Jfprk. rJ ftf ft« - passage of the Eepi«B*toti6n' 'A«Pti% really hold the Oppositibn 0 iii of their hand. A dissolution next year most entail the political extinction of one-fourth .of-the ;sitting..membera, and it I? J»f lift*