The Hastings Standard Published Daily. MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1897. THE SHORT SESSION.

Hastings Standard, Issue 289, 5 April 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1897. THE SHORT SESSION.

For the cause that lacks assistance,l For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

To-morkow the §i\st and the brief session of the new Parliament will begin. The object of calling menbers together so early in the year is, as is well-known, for the purpose of endorsing the action of the Premier in accepting the Royal invitation to bo present at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and to provide him with the means of adequately rcpresentiag the colony upon so important an occasion. We trust that Parliament will deal with the money side of the question in no niggardly spirit, for we maintain that the Premier of New Zealand should stand as well, or on the same level, as the Premiers of the other colonies in so far as his personal expenses are concerned, and we venture to think that ample funds will be voted Mr Seddon for his trip. There is of course the cost of.the military contingent to be considered. That it is desirable to j •-< t;d a detachment of mounted men seems to be the general opinion, and where differences arise is as to the number of men. The proposal to be submitted by the Ciovernment will embrace four distinct bodies of men ; first there is the detachment from the mounted infantry corps, then there is the squad from the Permanent Artillery, the awkward squad of Maoris, and the shooting squad for liislev—in all about one hundred men—involving an expenditure of pretty well i'HOOO* The labor organisations as represented by Trades Councils have by resolutions expressed their disapproval of the Government proposals mainly on the score of exjxmse, and the Opposition 100 are not dispose 1 to accede io the

wishes of Mr Seddon in this matter, and therefore there is a strong probability that the military vote will be materially curtailed. The special business that necessitates the present session will not cause much trouble. There will be plenty of talk, and by judicious comromises the matters will be satisfactorily settled. It is not the Government business that will disturb the harmony of the sesion, but we cannot say the same for the Opposition proposals. The party which claims Capt. Russell as its leader will insist upon knowing as much as possible of the state of the finances, at any rate more than the Government will find it convenient to disclose. Then again there are a nuniber of matters not unconnected with the braking legislation of the past few years and the disclosures that have followed during the past few months. These are subjects likely to dislocate the temper of the Government and prolong the sesuion beyond the time which Ministers fondly hope will see members returning to their homes. We shall get an indication of what may be expected when Parliament assembles again in September next for the big tussle.