THE SESSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4488, 16 October 1901, Page 4

THE SESSION.

The Premier is rcporto dto. have said that, if the Estimates are deposed of this week, there is no reason why the Parliamentary session should not end in the first week of November—that is, some three weeks from now. There is much virtue in Mr Seddon’s “if”; 't is ag though ho said to the House—“ Put through the Estimates, or if you don’t——Even if there were no oov.. ert threat employed, it is doubtful whether members will find it consistent with their sense of duty to push through so rapidly the remaining items of the Eeti. mates. And, assuming that the Estimates were out of the way, it is dtificult to see how. Parliament can in three weeks’ time dispose of the business still to be dealt with, liberal though the i'-weedingent ” process hag' 1 been. The Licensing Bill of itself will provide matter for over a week’s debate; the two educational measures—the School Teachers’ Salaries Bill arid the Education Boards Election Bill—are certain to give rise to lengthy discussions; and there are other legislative proposals of a ' highly contentions character which have not been dropped. Then the tariff question nas suddenly loomed very large on the political horixon; a Bill is to be Drought down, and is certain to lead to prolonged discussion. The same may be said of the question of mail services. At a time when hours count, this wens likely to take up some days. Then the Public Works Statement has to come, with a long, and perhaps hit. , ter discussion of the incidental Estimates; and alter them there are the Supplementary Estimates, which will

want careful piloting. Here is a large programme, which seems to justify an estimate of six weeks’ more work. Tho only hope of closing tho session before December is to drop every debatable measure, and endeavour to pass only such as are absolutely necessary. If a Tariff Bill is necessary, it must bo tackled, even though it should take a week to pass it; but iu a few days we may learn that the necessity for dealing with this important matter is not urgent. Ministers and members must, in any case, if they wish to close their labours early next month, reconcile themselves to a further “Slaughter ot the innocents.”