THE LATE SESSION.

Evening Star, Issue 7406, 29 December 1887, Page 1

THE LATE SESSION.

The session being over and the?holiday season on, there is a lull in politics; 'which probably will not be disturbed until members, as in duty bound, meet their constituents to give an account of their stewardship. On the whole, Otago is fortunate in her representation in the new House. The Hon. Mr Fergus, the Hon. G. F. Richardsox, and the Hon. Mr Hxslop have thoroughly justified the Premier in placing them in the Cabinet, and have specially distinguished Mr James Allen has given evident signs ef promise; he speaks well, briefly, and to the point, and has already achieved aposition. Mr James Mills, although exposing himself somewhat to banter from affecting to-lead a “ Young New Zealand Party,” exceedingly valuable .member, possessing as he does special qualification from expensive and knowledge for dealing intelligently with important classes of Parliamentary business. Mr W. Barron fills the role of an economic reformer with ability, and it admitted that the maintenance end advocacy of somewhat extreme views as to retrenchment tend to keep Ministers up to the mark in their work of radical' reform. The country members generally are above the average of those returned in'other provincial districts. It is only necessary mention Mr Vincent Pyke and ,Mr Scobik Mackenzie —both, powers in the House. Severel jOf those pow for the first, time in Parliamentalso shape exceedingly, well. In respect to our mistakes at-the general election it is not desirable to say anything just now; the electors’should be able to judge between the promise and the performance, and estimate at the: Tight valuation the ambition to obtain ncsonety by offensive garrulity. The session recently been in many respects remarkable, ain'd L has most distinctly belied the prognostications of friends and adherents of the late Government. Members of that Government, indeed, themselves were of opinion that they would return to office, and it was under this delusion that they ‘retained possession of the Ministerial residences until they had practically to be turned out. Major Atkinson, against whom there had been a most unreasonable prejudice in the South Island, it was supposed, could never form a stable Ministry, and any Ministry that he did form vjould, it was quite believed, tumble to pieces like a house of cards before the breath of Sir Julius Vogel. How they reckoned without their host is now a matter of history. Ministers, immediately on assuming office, applied themselves to the elaboration of designs for financial reform, and their proposals, when brought down, so commended themselves to the country that success was assured. Sir Julius, champing and fuming at his utter powerlessness to stem the tide of public opinion, completely lost his head, and displayed an amount of temper by no means creditable to his judgment. We hardly think he can ever recover the ground he has lost, and the many new members of the House must wonder how be ever could have exercised the “ mana ” which he undoubtedly had for years." Apart from the purely financial measures which were carried through without a hitch, most important legislation was effected'during the session in regard to the disposal-of the Crown lands and the .management of the working railways. The Government have it now in their power to declare any rural lands in the Colony open for selection, whether the sectional survey has been completed ornot. Selectors may choose their location where they will, and it is also at their option under what tenure they shall hold or occupy. The various classes of settlers will now ne intermingled to the great advantage of all; those who buy for cash on immediate payment, or under the deferred-payment system, as well as lessees under perpetual lease. With reasonably intelligent administration the Act should work, well, and we feel quite sure that the present Minister of Lands will do his best to make it a' success. The Government Railways Act effects an entire revolution in the whole cqpduct of the railway business. There is but one opinion in Victoria in relation to the management of the running lines by a nonpolitical Board. So patent has this been that the Government of New South Wales framed a . measure almost entirely on the Victoria lines. .Tte South Australian Government followed suit; and it is an undoubted fact that the people of the several Australian colonies recognise that the Victorian system is now wprked, to a very considerable extent, free from political control, and that it has been a very great improvement on the state of things that formerly prevailed. There has been, beyond a doubt, a very large measure of dissatisfaction in-tbdTGolony as to the way in which the railways are managed, and very justly so jhjjt to a great extent the failure in management has been owing to the many barriers which Parliament interposed' ft'the free exercise of their judgment bythe* authorities. It is utterly impossible for the railways to be conducted to the benefit of the country whilst the Department is practically subject to political control. The whole business, aa| It will be under the new Act, must be removed entirely from the demagogues who are constantly interfering with the .details of management. The railways should be worked inr such a mauner c :that rthey shall return as much as possible in the way of interest; but,' at the same time, 1 facilities must be afforded to settlers to get their produce to market cheapfyj K liind : “the convenience of the travelling pnjblic.stadied, so as largely to increase'the passenger traffic, which, is undoubtedly capable -of . considerable extension. The second session of 1887, in its incidents and results, is the most important which has been held for many years, We may hope that when Ministers again'meet Parliament they will do so strengthened by very plain manifestations of public approval in respect to what they have already done, and that they will thus have confidence in carrying out a policy which gives good hope of redintegrating the prosperity of the Colony.