New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4149, 8 July 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1874.

The real business of .the session was commenced last night, and from the spirit in which both Houses dealt with the matters before them, thereis reasonable hope that the session may be a short one. The Ministry had made it plain in the terms of His Exsellency's speech, and still more in the omissions from it, that they would propose no legislation of a character likely to lead to prolonged debate without practical results. The same idea was given to the House of Representatives by the Premier in the few remarks which he had occasion to address to them last night, in moving the second reading of the Abolition of Imprisonment for Debt Bill. It was expressed also by the mover of tho reply to the address of His Excellency. No dissent was indicated from any part of tho House, and therefore we may assume that the members accept, to that extent, tho programme of the Government, and refrain from the introduction of measures which they cannot hope to pass, and from unnecessary and factitious criticism of the measures that will bo submitted to them.

The reply to the Address was moved by Mr. Wales, a new member from tho Province of Otago, and seconded by Mr. Gibbs, another new member, though a very old colonist, from the Province of Nelson. Both were well received, and their appropriate but comparatively brief observations applauded—not with the usual "hear hear," but in 'a manner which, though a custom here, is not common in a deliberative assembly. Both announced their cordial concurrence in almost every item of the Address, though Mr. Wales took the occasion to give a word of caution as to the possibility of extending main lines of railway, perhaps under undue local pressure, in districts which might bo more properly and economically servad by branch linos. He also refrainod from commenting upon tho remarks of His Excellency as totho probable importance of the commerce of the Polynesian Islands, and on tho paragraph relating to the measure which tho Government proposes on tho subject of eloctoral qualification, and to tho intention of tho Ministry to create and conserve State Forests as a Colonial property. Ho dwelt, however, on the evidences exhibited by tho correspondence placed before the House of the anxiety of tho Government to give a proper direction to'the stream of immigration now flowing in. He joined in tho expression of satisfaction that tho evidences of tho prosperity of New Zealand were now so numerous and general, while he did not hesitato to state his bolief that the prosperity of tho Colony dated from the period when the present Premier had taken office, and had inducod tho country to adopt a policy which had proved so successful. Mr. Gibbs took tho same view of tho state of things, and of tho answer which it was {he duty as it would be the pleasure of the House to make to His Excellency's address. He dwelt particularly, however—as did Mr. Walos—on tho propriety of settling the people, who wero now arriving in large numbers, on tho soil, in placo of allowing them to remain in tho towns on tho coast. He was also emphatic in his expression of his de-

sire to see New Zealand united Avith Australia by electric cable. Both members join in their adhesion to the Government on broad grounds, though reserving their individual opinions for expression on the two or three subjects alluded to as not commented upon, for fuller expression Avhon those subjects should como up in their turn for discussion.

No dissension having been expressed to the views embraced in His Excellency's Speech, or to the observations of the mover and seconder of the reply—the address in reply having been brought in and adopted in the Lower House, and the Speaker having intimated his intention of ascertaining from His Excellency when he would be prepared to receive the address of the House—the business of the day came to an end. It may be taken, hoAvevor, as further evidence of the feeling ofthe House, that Mr. T. L. Shepherd gave Avay to a suggestion of the Premier, at the obvious Avish of the House, and agreed that a motion submitted by him for the presentation to all Mining Associations in the Colony of copies of Parliamentary Papers and of the Hansard reports of the proceedings of the two Houses, should be referred to the Printing Committee, in place of being made an order of the House, as was the case last session. It Avas also not altogether Avithout significance of the feeling of the House, that the Bill introduced by the Premier for the Abolition of Imprisonment for Debt, Avas read a second time, Avith but little discussion, _ though exposed to some unfavorable criticism by the hon. member for Auckland City West (Mr. T. |B. Gillies), and with no larger understanding than that the measure should not be pressed with undue haste through the Chamber ; and that tho House heard with pleasure a question put by Sir Cracroft Wilson, answered in the negative, as to the intention of the Government to introduce _an Insol\ rency Bill —a cpaestion evidently put with. relation to the opposition shown by tho Legislative Council to the private Bill on the subject of Imprisonment for Debt, introduced by Mr. Gillies last year. If straws thrown into the air show the direction of the wind, we may take it for granted that it is not in the east this time, but blows very favorably for a comparatively calm and short session.

The Ministry, on their part, are apparently disposed to tako of the favoring influences of the political weather, and to sail with " a wet sheet and a flowing main." Tariouß measures were given notice of last night by Minister^ —which will be found enumerated in another column. They aro all of a practical character, and not likely to provoke discussion. Without anticipating the budget speech in the remotest way, wo may remark that it is obvious, from tho solitary financial paragraph in His Excellency's address, that tho revenues which have fallen into tho Treasury since the passing of tho Tariff Bill of last session, as well as tho income from the land department and other sources, have been such as to more than realise the calculations originally made by the Treasurer, and to strengthen the hands of the Government in proposing to continue the policy on which they have entered. If this is the case, it is not difficult to understand why the members who sit on the Opposition Benches have found no common ground on which to unite. There is nothing in the past policy which offers inviting opportunity for attacking the Treasury on mistakes of the past. There is nothing in the state of the country under cover of which a charge on the Treasury

■t* ,-j.ii lv- '■"-~A '"""'"-sent. There is little or nothing in the programme of the session to which much objection is to be taken. To this happy conjunction of elements we perhaps owe it that the first business of the session has been got over so easily, and with scarcely even an appearance of opposition. The auguries are in favor of a quiet session, and we hope they will be fulfilled.