THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1902. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12394, 2 July 1902, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1902. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The Sp&scli, with which hig. Excellency tho Governor opened • Parliament yesterday strengthens the belief that the legislative achievements of the session will 'bo inconsiderable. The Government does not- promise much in the Speech, and its .promises always have.largely exceeded its performances. The Speech is this year, for a. change,' of modest dimensions, and that portion of it .which foreshadows the work- of the session is particularly marked by brevity and terseness. It- contains, none of the unwieldy and inflated sentences which Hie Governor was" compelled to deliver last year. ■ The- change represents a distinct improvement from the literary point .of -view. But this year's Speech from the Throne may more than ever be'cited in'.support of the apothegm that language was given to men to conceal' their'thoughts. It is singularly uriinstructive as to tho nature of the legislation the- Government proposes to' introduce. The Scforendum-Bill. we.-know,' but as it was thrown' cut in the legislative Council last year by 29 to 1, its solo supporter being the Minister of Education, it is impossible |o suppose that there is the slightest jcha-nce of its being carried. The Static Fire Insurance Bill wc also know, but the sincerity of the Government in proposing it. is At

fiy rate, it is not a .measure that is at all likely to be passed this session. Some amendments in the Land Act, including proposals for rebates to Crown tenants, are spoken of, but their nature is not indicated, and still more ambiguous is tho allusion to the amendments of a. detail nature which, is said, may be necessary in the labour legislation: while, upon the question cf "preventing combinations which the prices of food supplies are improperly raised to consumers," the Speech stops short of a declaration that any legislation at all is contemplated. A Government Railways Superannuation Fund Bill —the same presumably as was before Parliament last year—is to be introduced, an amendment is to be proposed in the Military Pensions Act, the appointment of commercial agents abroad is mooted, and measures relating toi mining matters, the public health, the protection of young persons, company law, ancl other subjects are vaguely hinted at, Some further legislation in regard to the matter of the settlement of the land is apparently to be submitted, and certain steps to secure the conservation of the forests of the colony seem to be in contemplation. The loan proposals of the session are foreshadowed ill two separate passages of the tSpcecli. Parliament will, we are told, ba asked to make provision for the important work of prpsecuting the trunk lines of railway as well as of carrying on other lines now in course of construction j and stress is elsewhere laid on the necessity of providing for the roading of the lands to open up back blocks and assist settlement. While a larger loan than has been sought for the past, few years may this year be regarded as necessary in order to enable the prosecution of public works to be energetically continued, the Government lias possibly come to appreciate the necessity of curtailing its departmental expenditure. It is, at all events, interesting to observe that in the Speech from the Throne the stereotyped' expression in which the Lower House is assured that the estimates of expenditure .have been framed with "a due regard to economy" givos place this year to the statement that" the strictest economy consistent with efficiency" has been observed in their preparation.

For the second year in succession Parliament has been opened on the Ist July—that is to say, after the expiry of the period of three months following the close of the financial year, during which the Government i? empowered to expend public moneys without legislative authority, upon carrying on the service of the colony. Last year it was hardly possible to urge any strong objection to the violation by the Government of the constitutional practice which prescribes that Parliament shall be afforded full opportunity of discussing any grievances that may exist before it is called upon to vote supplies. For last year was an. exceptional year. The royal visit to New Zealand was. concluded in'the'last clays of June, and, unless the inconvenient. expedient of holding, a double session had been adopted, thero was no alternative lo the course .which was followed. 'But it would be entirely erroneous to suggest that wliat occurred in 1901 constituted a. precedent to be observed this year or in future years. Indeed, exceptional' though the circumstances were, Sir William Russell and'Mr James Allen pointed, out last year that it was distinctly unfair to Parliament, the custodian of the public purse, that it should be required, at the very beginning of a. session and upon the most meagre of information which it has no chance of checking, to vote away large sums of money. This year, nevertheless, the performance that was enacted last year will be repeated. The proceedings at tlie opening of Parliament yesterday were pracfcirallv confined to the delivery of the Governor's Speech, but this afternoon, when business will be commenced, it is inevitable that an Imprest Supply Bill will bo brought down to be passed through ail its stages. What does that mean? The Government'!! authority to expend money is exhausted. It expired on the 30th June. "If during the space of . three months after the commencement of any financial year ov period" —the provisions of the law run—" no Act is passed granting and appropriating money for the service thereof, the Colonial Treasurer may, until such Act is passed, issue and pay moneys during such three months, but no longer." Consequently, when Parliament is not called together until the beginning of July,,the first thing the Government must do is to ask for money. If funds are not voted to it, then, it complains, the public services of the colony will be stopped or the public servants must go without their salaries or wages until Parliament i does vote the money. The effect of this.' is to put Parliament into a position whioh constitutionally it should never occupy. It rcduces Parliament to t-ho position of being the servant.of the Government, whereas the Government is the servant—the Ministers being the executive officers—of Parliament. It places Parliament, indeed, in a humiliating position. Instead of the control cf the public purse being preserved to it Ministers exercise it, and this is in absolute defiance of all constitutional practice. We could most properly show our loyalty," Sir William Russell held last year, "by conforming to'ancient constitutional practice, and that ancient constitutional practice is," he showed, "that we, the representatives of the people, have the right to express our views and to obtain redress of grievances before granting .supply to the Crown." When once that power lias passed from Parliament, when once the power cf refusing supply to the Crown has been given up by the representatives of the' people, then, as Sir William Russell said, the great constitutional privilege of obtaining ; redress of grievances' passes from Parliament..