Mt. Ida Chronicle AND ST. BATHANS WEEKLY NEWS. NASEBY, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1890. THE SESSION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 1074, 3 July 1890, Page 2

Mt. Ida Chronicle AND ST. BATHANS WEEKLY NEWS. NASEBY, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1890. THE SESSION.

Phocekdings in Parliament appear likely after all to . be of sufficiently lively interest, now that it is pretty well settled that the business of the country is to go on and that a double session this year, with all its waste and expense, is to be avoided. The Governor's Speech,, with which the work was inaugurated, proved to be of a less routine nature than usual; and its promise of a fair provision of useful work for honourable members of both Houses has been quietly but busily followed up. "Very short shrift was accorded to Sir George Grey's demand for an immediate dissolution, members readily perceiving the absurdity of dispersing a few days after their arrival, while plenty of beneficial occupation was lying ready to their hands, and no single issue of first-class importance awaiting the decision of the electors. This being disposed of, events have become almost sensational in their number and importance. The Financial Statement, brought down at an unusually early period of the session, is the most business-like and most valuable record of the recent progress and general position of the country which has been laid before the people for many years ; and the unmistakeable proof it affords that the intellectual powers of Sir Harry Atkinson have not followed his physical health into conspicuous decline will be at once a relief to the country and a justification of the decision, arrived at by a large majority of the House, that it is desirable not to lose his presence from the service or the Colony at the present juncture. We are sure that in this district, where the Premier during his tour of the Otago Central line crested a most favourable impression, there will be a very sincere feeling of sympathy with him in his unfortunate illness: and even those who desire that there should be a change of Ministry will recognise that it will be difficult to replace Sir Harry Atkinson as a servant of the public. The Premier has quite evidently desired, in compiling his Financial Statement, to place the country in full possession of the facts of the present situation and the keys of policy which a Treasurer necessarily holds, so that his successors—whether on the same side of politics as himself or otherwise —may not be embarrassed by the sudden, removal of a politician so experienced in " the ropes." This, in 'the present uncertainty of politics, and on the eve of a general election, is creditable to Sir Harry Atkinson's generosity and public spirit, and contrasts in a marked degree with the conduct of Sir Julius Vogel when temporarily turned out of office in 188.4. The attack upon" the Government by Mr. Ballance in connection with the Financial Statement is a perfectly legitimate step in party politics, and we believe the last thing the present Ministry would desire would be to crave any leniency from their opponents on account of the Premier's health. They and their party have elected, wisely and properly as nearly everyone thinks, to maintain their crippled chief still at the. head of their organisation; and such being the case they must be as ready for a continuance of hard knocks as must an army whose general has fallen wounded on the field, but has chosen to continue to direct the tactics of the battle through his aides-de-camp instead of yielding his place to a subordinate. The Opposition, from their point of view—which is naturally that | of being returned to power by the electors—could not afford to leave the Government quite unassailed just before an appeal to the' country. They could not afford, in fact, to permit the Ministry to go to the electors with the • claim that their policy and administration had been so overwhelmingly successful that even the very Opposition itself had not dared to seriously challenge it in the last days of the House. The result of the motion seems to be a foregone conclusion in favour of the Ministry, but during the . debate Mr. Ballance and his supporters will of course take occasion to discredit the Government and exalt themselves before the electors as far as they can. The session on the whole promises to be much more interesting than those of moribund Parliaments usually are, quite apart from the uniquely interesting though sorrowful developments of the questioaof Sir Harry Atkinson's health: ■...■-;...■-,■ '