THE Marlborough Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1888.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 28 May 1888, Page 2

THE Marlborough Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1888.

Mr. Turnbull, tlio member for Timaru, bit the nail on the bead in tbe House on Friday when be remarked, while speaking on the Slaughterhouse Act Amendment Bill, “that the debate reminded him of Nero fiddling- while Home was burning. The whole country was anxiously awaiting the Financial Statement, while here they were frittering away .time discussing the Codlin Moth and Slaughterhouse Bills. ’ ’ But Mr Turnbull, and the Opposition as a whole, let their opportunity slip when they allowed the Loan Bill to quietly glide through all its stages, and now they will have to wait the Ministerial pleasure as to when they will think fit to divulge their financial proposals. The want of An experienced and capable leader of the Opposition could not be more forcibly illustrated than by tho invertebrate .manner in which the members allowed themselves to be frightened : into acquiescing in the hurryscurry passing of that important measure. A competent leader with sufficient force of character would have so consolidated the objecting element in the House that it would have compelled the Government to table their financial proposals before receiving sanction to raise the loan. It is true that the loan was authorised last session, and that the Act was rendered inoperative through a technical error 1 in drafting- the measure. But the 1 circumstances of the Colony have changed sufficiently since then to render it advisable that the question of raising the loan should be discussed afresh. There is a strong feeling in the country that an end must be put to borrowing, and that feeling has assumed a more pronounced form during even the last six mohths. The Government, however, have now gained .their point, and practically the

of sucli trifles as the Codlin Moth, Totalisator and other similar measures. These will occupy the time until the Financial Statement is ready, which, considering the disorganised state of the Opposition, may he expected to be rushed through in the form in which it is introduced. It will then be found that time is not available to discuss what are really the most important questions at present engaging the attention of the country — the incidence of taxation, protection to native industries, reform of the electoral laws, etc. The strength of the Government and the present weakness of the Opposition is a menace to the legislation of the session. Under the circumstances the safest course would he to pass supplies, and hang up all further legislation for another session.