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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8926, 15 December 1887, Page 4

The Government seem determined to push through all the business which is deemed most urgent, and have matters sufficiently advanced to allow Parliament to be prorogued next week. It has been stated that an intimation has been given by the Premier that he expects to be able to bring the session to a close on Tuesday next, but the probabilities are that the business will not be wound up before Thursday, which . would still admit of -most of the members reaching their homes by Christmas day. The Railway Bill has fortunately now been removed from the arena of discussion. And not before it was time, as," if the obstruction to it offered by the Opposition had been continued much longer, the idea of the House riding before Christmas mast have been .abandoned.

Protests were made against the passing of a measure of such importance in haste, but the meaning of these protests, like that of the obstruction, was of course to prevent the Bill from passing at all. The Government therefore did right in refusing to listen to any proposals for its recommittal with a view to the adding of new clauses. The adopting of such a course would have simply been to give another opportunity for interminable speech-making and the stoppage of all urgent business. Whatever may be thought of the main proposal of the Railway Bill—to hand over the control and working of the railways to a non-political Board of Commissioners, there was an absolute necessity for making some change in their administration, and no other change would have satisfied the public demand. It is to be hoped that the Government will be successful in obtaining the services of a man well qualified to take ' the post of , Chief Commissioner ; but for the duties of the other commissioners no better men than Mr. Blair, engineer, and Mr. Hannay, traffic manager, could be found. Their professional abilities and experience cannot be surpassed and, what is of great consequence, they possess the confidence

and esteem of the public. The Loan BiII which comes on for discussion LS' l may excite some opposition ; and. n,' ? the Government have signified ttwillingness to reduce the amounts .v? they intended raising, the likelihood ye U that they will obtain sanction for ft, BuSget.° m ' riginaUy menti ° ned » «*£