MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 3,200 Copies Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1905. HOW LAWS ARE MADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8072, 24 August 1905, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD POHANGINA GAZETTE. Circulation, 3,200 Copies Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1905. HOW LAWS ARE MADE.

Every session o£ Parliament complaints are made about the tendency of the Government to try to force legislation through the House in the ""early hours of the morning, with result's pernicious alike to legislators and laws. Last year the awful bungle which was made of the Shops and Offices Bill was attributed to this cause, and the Premier and his Ministers were loud in their protestations of a desire to amend their ways and keep hours that were comparatively respectable. It does not appear, however, that they have profited by experience, indeed it seems that they are still following the old and baneful course of legislation hy exhaustion. The Estimates are being forced through the House at such a rate that it is absolutely impossible for members to give that attention to the figures that the country has a right to expect, considering it employs the said members to transact its business. The Opposition is doing what it can to compel the Government to carry on the public business at reasonable hours, and has already during this session been able to considerably minimise the evil. Another protest was raised last week when the Estimates were before the House. At twenty-five minutes past one on Saturday morning, Mr Massey reminded the Premier of the time, and asked whether he proposed to adjourn. The Premier said it would be necessary to go on if the Public Works statement was to be brought down this month, and if the members wished to get away by the end of October. To this Mr Massey replied that he was prepared to continue the session till November. Mr Seddon, with the knowledge that he had a majority of blind followers behind him, jocularly remarked that in that case Mr Massey would sit alone? The House then went on with the Estimates till 2 a.m., at which hour only 20 or 30 members were in the Chamber. The Premier had gone and Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to deal with the Post and Telegraph estimates, which included the question of the mail services, and the Bailway estimates. Mr Massey, however-,, vigorously protested against this improper method of considering the expenditure of public money. His objection was successful in that the Government agreed to take the less, important pa**tions of the Post and Telegraph ostK

mates.

"" The utter absurdity of what followed should strike every elector in New Zealand. In twenty minutes the House passed votes totalliug £142,973! This expenditure was agreed to by a House

which, one report says, ."consisted of fewer than 20 members (or less than a quorum), and about half of-'these yrer'e asleep or sufficiently advanced towards that blissful state to be entirely oblivious to what was going oh." If .tlie Government is not going.: to give that attention to its work, that the country has a right to expect: the .sooner it is dismissed the The electors have the power to show through the ballot box that they have had enough of this mismanagement of their affairs, and the indications are that this will shortly he done-ma manner that the Government will not appreciate. ■?■''•■■