The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1880. THE PAST SESSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 42, 4 September 1880, Page 2

The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1880.

THE PAST SESSION.

The second session of the seventh Parliament of New Zealand has just closed, and nearly every one who takes an interest in politics is loudly expressing disappointment at the result. The Ministry commanded a working majority of some fifteen votes on any party question, and it was generally believed that they would be strong enough to carry all before them. However, it was soon apparent that there was no organised Opposition, and under those conditions it is well known to all old Parliamentary campaigners that it is impossible to command faithful allegiance from Government supporters. There is no apparent necessity for watchfulness or strict discipline; the critics run riot; the whips even find a difficulty in enforcing the attendance of supporters when divisions are forced upon them ; friends think themselves free to play the part of critical advisers; and the net result is, that the party becomes demoralised It was so in 1878, when the Grey party commanded a majority of about 16, and had no organised Opposition to contend against, but were forced to abandon their Electoral Bill, their Beer Bill, and their Companies Income Tax Bill. In fact, the only measure of political importance which became law was the Land Tax -Act, which was quickly blotted out of existence by being merged in the Property Assessment Act. History has repeated itself in 1880. The Government have had to abandon their Local Government scheme, as sketched forth in the Financial Statement. The proposed. Beer Tax. of 6d. per gallon was cut down to 3d. The increased Succession Duties, as proposed and carried in the Lower House, were thrown out in the Upper. The proposed exemption of personal effects and f urniture from the Property Tax was not carried into effect, because the Beer Tax had been reduced by onehalf. All these measures affected the financial policy of the Government and the burden of taxation of the colony, and they have been modified until barely a shadow, of them remains.

Turning to administrative measures, we find that the Charitable Aid and Hospitals Bill, the Licensing Bill, the Representation Bill, and six ought of eight of the bills dealing with. Native lands have been abandoned. In fact, the Ministry is represented as being in mourning for the wholesale slaughter of

the innocent children of their brain. The following has been published as a summary of the work actually done :—: — From the Select Committees, 468 reports were brought up, The total number of Public Bills, originated in both Houses, was 152; 79 passed and received the Royal assent. One, the Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Bill, was reserved for Her Majesty's pleasure ; and 72 were | either dropped or negatived. Four Private Bills were introduced. Three passed, and one dropped. The total number of petitions presented was 383. The days of meeting numbered 64. There were 127 divisions. 632 questions wei'e asked of Ministers. There were 1141 entries in the Journals ; 37 orders for papers ; 229 papers laid on the table, 153 of which, were printed. From the above, it appears that the Statutes have been increased in number very considerably. From what we have written, however, it is clear that by far the greater number of important political and social i measures ■roLioL -were introduces, Lave ! been, either lost or abandoned. Those which, have been passed, have come out of Committee maimed and mutilated. Honestly, we regret that such a fiasco should have been possible; still more that an honest and hard-working Ministry should have been victimised. The Seddons, Speights, Turabulls, and Reeveses, who bore the House with long-winded speechifying about everything in general, and nothing in particular, have been greatly to blame ; Ministers themselves have been doubtless often in fault ; and the deficiency of cash in the Treasury has helped further to complicate the position by rendering nine members out of ten critical and hard to please, because they missed the usual sweetener in the form of votes of loan-money for their constituencies, which have been given during the past ten years. Messrs. Reader Wood, Or"moud, Saunders, Wakefield, Richardson, and others, openly admitted that they were far from satisfied with the financial proposals of the Government. Mr. Oliver's Public- Works Statement offended many, and pleased no one. Thus it has come about that the session has been an unsatisfactory one. Nevertheless, all parties — the House practically contained three parties at the close of the session — were agreed that it would never do to attempt to change the horses in the State-coach, just while it was in the act of crossing a dangerous stream. The political position may be summed up in a few homely words thus : — Ministers have muddled the public business; but as the House has been obstructive, and the Government party has been critical and captious, members have left Wellington quite prepared-to give the Hall Ministry another opportunity of redeeming the many as yet unfulfilled promises made by them at the beginning of the session of 1880.