THE SESSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14538, 25 November 1907, Page 6

THE SESSION.

Theef, is a. little formal business still to be transacted, but the session closed, for all practical purposes on Saturday night. Sir Joseph Ward has been as good as his word. While the Opposition was scientifically wasting time in September Mr Henries sympathetically warned the Premier that he would not be able to keep members in - Wellington sifter Carnival'Week. Sir Joseph smiled a little grimly, and promised that Parliament would remain in session so long as there was work to be done ; and, as we see, the last week in November finds Parliament still sitting. It nas been an important session, as well as a long one. Not since the early days of the Ballance Government have politics been so interesting, and we doubt if any previous session in the history of the dominion can show more important legislation than that passed this, year. The revision of the tariff would have been enough in itself to " save the face " of Parliament, but the Government has carried through, in addition, a full programme of progressive measures. The three Land Bills—they are Acts now—have reformed the land settlement system of the dominion, while maintaining the principles enunciated by Mr Ballance and approved by the public at the polls. Only those who follow- the course of politics with a knowledge of the under-currents can appreciate the difficulty of the task which the Government set itself, or the magnitude of the achievement. Sir Joseph Ward and Mr M'Nab have been criticised for accepting compromises, but the truth is that they followed the only course possible unless they liad been prepared to abandon all idea of improving the dominion's - land ' laws. Once or twice the public were permitted to see something of the intrigues and private understandings against which the Government had to contend, and remembering them they may perhaps realise that the Premier has achieved a notable success in this first serious session under his administration. We do not propose to review the work of the session in detail. Probably the proceedings of Parliament have never been more fully reported or more liberally discussed than was the case this year. The land question and the tariff dominated the greater part of the session, to the exclusion of matters of less moment, but during the last few weeks Parliament has transacted a large amount of important business, including the adoption of a measure that makes a beginning, at least, of the solution of the Native land problem. The public services have been receiving a large amount of attention, toOj and Parliament has framed laws improving the system of classification and advancing the general status of civil servants. The Government did not oarry through, its whole programme, it is true, because the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill and other measures of less importance had to he held over, hut it has every reason to be satisfied with the results of the session, and the public will a.gree, we believe, that the Ward administration has fully proved its title to their confidence.