THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1906. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13632, 29 June 1906, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1906. THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The public will have been prepared to find that tho Speech of his Excellency the Governor, in opening Parliament, is unusually brief: it is, however, not entirely colourless. Tho warm terms of appreciation in which the Speech refers to the services of Mr Seddon redeem the document from achromatism. The fact that Mr Seddon occupied the office of Premier of the colony for a period exceeding, with but one Canadian exception, that for which any person in any other part of tho British dominions has held a corresponding position necessarily constituted a "onvincing proof that lie enjoyed in a remarkable degree the confidence of the people of the colony. It is equally true that Mr Seddou was, as he is described in the Governor's Speech as having been, " a. notable figure in the domain of Imperial politics." It wits most fitting, therefore, thirt the Governor, as the representative in. the colouy of the who has liim-

self expressed ins sense of the loss which the Empire lias suffered through the death of Mr Seddon, should hear his testimony to the removal of his chief Adviser from the scene in which lie performed so distinguished and so active n part. Later in the- afternoon both Houses of Parliament passed in eloquent silence resolutions which recorded their regret at the death of the late Premier. So muck lias been well said and well written during the past fortnight regarding the statesman who, as was said by the Native Minister, in the picturesque language ot which he is a muster, "stood out on the skyline of politics, a great figure," that the speakers on the mournful occasion might reasonably ha've been excused if they bad failed to add any strikingly original contribution to the tributes that have been paid to Mr Ssddon's memory. Mr I!. M'Kenzie, indeed, who supported the resolution in the Lower House as a representative of Mr SecMon's district, frankly adopted the eulogy published from the pen of an old friend of the lute Premier in the pages of one of our weekly contemporaries. Hut the Attorney-general (who described Mr Seddon as going to his rest more distinguished and more honoured thnil any other servant the colony has had), the Premier, the Leader of the. Opposition, and the other, members who spoke on their own behalf and of that of different sections of the Legislature, gracefully expres c ed their sense of the loss which the Parliament, the colony, and the nation have sustained. The allusion in the Governor's Speecli to the change of Ministry consequent upon the death of Air Seddon is of the baldest: " At my request the Hon. William HallJones undertook the formation of a Ministry, which has now assumed office." But the 'absence of any elaborate reference to the occurrence of what almost constituted a Ministerial crisis, or of any suggestion that the colony is at the present time the witness of a transitional process, may be defended on the score of convention, which was not, however, so strictly respected in the preparation of some of tlia Governor's Speeches of recent years. Nor will Mr Hall-Jones find that conventional practice supports the plan which he has decided to adopt Mr the purpose of bridging over the interval that must elapse before the, arrival of the prospective Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, in the colony. The members of the Lower House are informed in the Speech that they "will be invited to consider proposals having for their object the extension of appropriations to a suitable date." The language which is here employed is well-chosen since it does hot commit- his Excellency to the expression of any opinion either one way or the other upon the question of whether Parliament should be prorogued or whether an adjournment would not be constitutionally the proper course. For our part, we are unable to recognise that there is any occasion for either a prorogation or a lengthy adjournment: either Course involves the sacrifice of a large amount of time, which might be profitably utilised, and either involves a needless belittling by themselves of Mr HallJones and 'his colleagues in the Cabinet. But the Premier, whoso loyalty to Sir Joseph Ward ha? stood the test of a considerable temptation, is apparently determined that his sniccessor in office shall receive, as far as it is in his power to control the future, an absolutely clean slate. The Ministry professes no policy in the Speech which it placed in the Governor's hands: it presents itself before Parliament naked and not ashamed, leaving it for Sir Joseph Ward, when ho assumes the reins of office, to clothe it, or so much of it as may remain after the completion of the process of reconstruction, with such policy as may seem to him desirable. The Government docs, however, through the agency of his Excellency, make a congratulatory reference to the marked progress that is being made in the chief industries of the colony, ns shown by u substantial increase in the volume of exports, and it expresses the belief, in respect of the public accounts, that the financial results of the current year will be as Satisfactory as those of the past. When the heavy obligations that will be imposed on the Government during the next few years through the maturing of debentures are borlio in mind—provision having to be made for the renewal or redemption of bonds to an amount of over seven millions within threo years' time—the taxpayers have cause fervently to hope that thiM anticipation of the Government may be completely realised,

I'HE LATE PREMIER, We do not suppose that any opposition will be expressed to the suggestion, which litis already, it seems, been a subject of discussion ill the parlininentary lobbies, that a grant of a sum of money should be mft'ife by the State to the widow anil family of the late Premier in recognition of the services rendered by him to the colony. By all sections of the community acknowledgment has been generously offered of the devotion and zeal with which, during tho period of his Ministerial career, Mr Seddon exerted himself in promoting the interests of tho country by the means that commended themselves to him, and, especially as it will be generally agreed that he must have shortened his life by the vastnesg of the labours he undertook, it may, we think, be taken for granted 1 that the feeling of the public will be almost, if not quite, entirely favourable to the proposal to recognise those services by a substantial vote. It seems to us extremely desirable that as great •unanimity should be secured with respect to the extent of the Vote as we believe to prevail with respect to the general proposition that a money grant should he made. The question is one of considerable delicacy, for various reasons, and it would he very regrettable if there should be any controversy over it. This points to the necessity of the Premier consulting the Leader of tho Opposition upon the matter, and, indeed, of his feeling the pulse of the entire House concerning it, so that the risk of even a single jarring note in connection with it may, if possible, be averted. It is to be deplored, we think, that several suggestions have been made of such an extravagant character as inevitably, if persisted in, toexcite the criticism which every person of nice sensibilities would wish to avoid. Fortunately the subject is one which cannot conveniently come before Parliament for discussion in the present short session, for the vote, for whatever amount may be proposed, must be passed on the Estimates, and the arrangements the Government has 1 deviled for carrying on ■the.bigine^.pf

the country pending the return of Sir Joseph Ward involve the postponement of the Estimates until the reopening of Parliament in August. By that time, perhaps, the persons who are responsible for some of the suggestions that have obtained currency will havo recovered the sense of proportion which they appear temporarily to have mislaid. It will probably be admitted that, in a matter of this kind, it is advisable to conform as closely as possible to precedent. The case that is most nearly in point is that of the grant which was made by Parliament in 1902 to the widow and family of Sir Harry Atkinson. Tlio vote on that occasion was passed in recognition not, only of Sir Harry Atkinson's services to the colony a.« a statesman, but also of the services he had rendered as a soldier (hiring the Maori wars. The political services alone of Sir Harry Atkinson extended over a long period: for eleven years lie held: office as a Minister of the Crown, and he died a poor man. In view of all the circumstances Of the case, the Ballaiice Ministry placed on the Estimates, and the House voted—a small minority, which included Messrs Houston, Lawry, Parata, and Tanner, of the present Ilonse, opposing the grant— the sum of £3000 to the widow and family. W e do not suggest that a vote for a like amount would represent a sufficient acknowledgment by the State of the services rendered to it by Mr Seddoti. We should hesitate to express the view that the grant in the case to which we have referred was not other than a very inadequate recognition of Sir Harry Atkinson's services. When due regard is had to precedent, we believe the public will, in the present case, not be disposed to regard a grant of £10,000 to the widow ami family as extravagant, and we should fancy that Parliament would pa<-s a vote for such a sum without demur from any responsible quarter. We hope that the suggestion that the Ministerial residence in which the Into Premier lived should ho granted to Mrs Seddon during her lifetime will not receive any countenance from the family chiefly concerned. We trust that Mrs Sedilou will he spared to live for many years, and we cannot disguise from, ourselves the fear that, . as time goes? on, a great deal of needless embarrassment might he caused through the lockiug-up of a Ministerial residence in her possession. On the other hand, we are sure tllat no person would bo so inconsiderate as to desire that she should remove before a time that will suit her own convenience from a dwelling that-has for her so many sacred associations. Hut she will be this first person to recognise that the house, which, from its proximity to Parliament Buildings and from its appointments, is admirably adapted to the purpose of an official residence, should be at the disposal of the Ministry, when it is reconstructed by Sir J. G. Ward, in order that suitable accommodation may be available foi- a member of tho Cabinet, particularly as residences in the vicinity of the Government and Parliament Buildings are not readily obtainable.