THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3362, 1 October 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1879.

The sederunts of the House of Representatives yesterday were especially interesting, in tbat, from the speeches upon both sides, we are able to gnage the strengthof the respective parties, and to estimate what influence the opinions given utterance to will have upon the country at Urge. "We confess a disappointment similar to that expressed by the Premier with the speech of Mr Hall. We had been led to expect the weighty words of a man calmly considering the situation, and striving to form an unbiassed opinion of it. In place of this, we are treated to a contemptible exhibition of spleen and party animus, *» a determination to see nothing beneficial in the Liberal legislation, albeit a consistent following out, step by step, of that legislation under different terms, and finally to the citation of a few isolated possibilities, in plaoe of the stern logic of facts. In a word, it was the speech of one bent upon attacking—not measures, but men; a speech in which the radical interests of the colony were lost amidst a mist of words about journalistic subsidies, Civil Service appointments, Christeliurcli clocks, and lunatic asylums. Passing by the speech as being worthy neither of Mr Hall nor the party he professes to lead, let us note the drift of the Premier's speech in reply. It was eminently indicative of the policy he has marked out for the session. Whilst refuting the unbased assertions of his opponent, he leads us to expect a continuation of the favorable Liberal legislation hitherto enjoyed. The interests of the working-man are not to be lost in those of the land-owner; the operative class is to have a voice in the legislation of the country more pronounced than before; the franchise is to be fully extended, with the sole proviso of the residential qualification ; the vigorous land policy hitherto, pursued is to be continued; and the Native Department is to be maintained in its integrity. Such are the outlines of the Premier's speech, which is to be regarded as a 'statement of his session policy. We may characterise Mr Saunders as the humorist of the Opposition, if humor can exist in atmosphere so uncongenial. His fun, however, is of the obscurantist type. So very dark that it needs all the blindness of party sympathy to laugh with it, or laugh at him. Like the speech of his chief, his utterances fail to deal with facts or measures, but direct 1 themselves wholly against men. We put it to the judgment of the unbiassed outsider, what have Babylons, greyhounds, and hares to do with either the Electoral I Bill or the Native Lands' Bill; besides, when he does condescend to afford us a shadow of argument for his assertion, it is but a distinction without a difference from the policy enunciated by the Premier. i Hair-spH ting poliiiciaus are the drags upon the progress of any country, aud can only be likened (o the fabled remorae that were said to drag back the ships of old- And now as to the debate as a | whole. What are we to expect in this I session, rightly styled in tho Governor's speech an eventful one. We hope first to see tho extension of tho franchise. As we stated on Monday, a iargo and iuipor-

taut part of the New Zealand populatio is totally unrepresented. Tho men who really are pushing on tho progress of tho colony are denied a voice in her Government because tho landed interest have hitherto held t'no reins in their own bands, and have fixed electoral eligibility at a figure to suit their own ends. Again we trust to see so vigorous a native policy pursued that as Mr Hurst remarked the natives would bo able to look up to the Government with confidence. Then as to Public Works, we are sanguine that the five million loan will be floated , in order that North New Zealand may iv some measure participate in the benefits hitherto going to the South. Tho wants tin such districts as Kaukapakapa and Helensville have been painfully felt and retard, to a large degree, progress in those districts. Also the Waikato Railway, and the extension of the Great Northern Hoad are to be mentioned as likely subjects of early consideration. The opening of the session, then, is so far auspicious to the Liberal interest. We look with some expectation for tho imminent vote, in the consciousness that upon tfie hearty support accorded to the Grey Government bangs any hope for ,us in the North, of getting our deserts in legislation.