The Hastings Standard Published Daily THURSDAY, NOV. 4, 1897. WASTING TIME.

Hastings Standard, Issue 468, 4 November 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

THURSDAY, NOV. 4, 1897. WASTING TIME.

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

Some of the extreme Ministerial journals are vigorously denouncing the Opposition and accusing the Party of wasting the time of the House. The Opposition is requested to cease asking pointed questions, to submit to breaches of Parliamentary privileges, to accept Ministerial statements without murmur, and to show their patriotism by helping the Government to pass such measures as it chooses. From the standpoint of the Government this is excellent advice, but it is not to be expected that the " other fellow " will accept it. Indeed if the Opposition inembers abated one jot of their rights of criticism, if they abrogated a single privilege, and if they failed to make the fullest use of their opportunities of criticising the administration of the Government they would not be doing their duty to the, electors. The truth of the matter is Mr Seddon has not accustomed himself to his new surroundings. In the last Parliament he had an overwhelming majority and was thus enabled to ride rough-shod over his opponents and to ilout his supporters. Now he finds himself with a working majority only, with a fairly powerful opposition to deal with, paid he is apt to get restive under the free criticism which such an opposition is able to deal out to him. It is quite a new experience, and the old methods of meeting the attacks of his opponents he finds ineffective. The opposition must work within the latitude allowed by the standing orders, and the unwritten canons of Parliamentary procedure and political etiquette, if they exceed this latitude Mr Speaker will soon let them know the "fact. It is best for the country to have an active opposition in Parliament, for then Ministers are kept steadily at work, and that work is 1 more likely to be of a kind beneficial to the community. Mr Seddon can count on a majority of seven after parting with the " Left Wing," and that is a great deal more than previous Premiers had at their command.