THE COMING SESSION.

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 911, 13 June 1896, Page 2

THE COMING SESSION.

Things We Don't Want.

Mes Yates hit the right nail on the head at the conclusion of Sir Maurice O'Rorke's address at Onehunga when she said that, besides giving us many things that we wanted, the Government were also giving us some things that we do not want. This is the weak point of the Government policy just now. We have had thrust upon us during the last five years an immense amount of legislation of an experimental character. Much of it has proved to be good, and some of it uncommonly bad. But, whether it has been good or bad, the popular feeling is that for the time being we have had quite enough.

But that does not appear to be the opinion of the Honorable the Premier. In his recent addresses, he has indicated very plainly the intention of the Government to propose and carry into effect further legislation of an experimental character during the session of Parliament that opens in Wellington this week. This is a pity, and especially so seeing that the present session is the last one of a moribund Parliament. This is not the time for legislation such as the Premier proposes. Much of it is Labour legislation, with which the country has already been sadly over-dosed, and it would have been better if the Premier had adhered to his former intention of waiting to mark the effect of the Labour legislation already placed upon the Statute Book before attempting to pass more.

Then, again, it is proposed to deal with the vexed question of Old Age Pensions during the coming session The Govern.

ment have not the experience of other countries to gnide them in this matter, they have not given the question the thonghtful consideration that it unquestionably demands, and to bring forward a crude and incomplete measure dealing in an unsatisfactory manner with a question of this vast moment is really to endanger the prospect of ever passing an old age pension scheme into law in this Colony. This would be a misfortune.

On the other hand, there are many matters of great moment to na in the North which this Government has deferred from time to time. These are the things we do want. The others are the things we do not want. For example, is it not an anomaly that it should be costing something like £5 par ton to convey goods, machinery and mining appliances to certain portions of onr goldfields, where great numbers of men are employed, and from whence there is already a considerable gold yield, with every prospect of an enormous yield as soon as there is decent communication by road or rail with the field? And, be it remembered, these portions of the field are only a few miles by road from a good water way. What greater tax could there be upon the future of our mining industry than this ?

The Government is deriving a considerable revenue from our goldfields just now. Bnt, as a matter of fact, nothing is being done in return to make these goldfields accessible. The main roads are almost impassable even for buggy traffic, to say nothing of the difficulty of getting heavily-laden waggons over them, while some of the by -roads leading to important sections of the field are mere bush tracks, over which a horse can scarcely be taken.

Is this right ? Labour questions and other social problems are of less consequence to us jnst now than the opening up of these goldfields, which promise to afford remunerative employment to every unemployed maji who is capable of using a pick. Consequently, it is the duty of the Government to devote some consideration to these necessary works of progress. Indeed, if the Waihi, Waitekauri, and Kuaotunu goldfields were situated in any other part of the civilised world than Auckland, light railways would have been constructed to every one of these districts months ago. But being in Auckland, the whole matter is neglected, while our members of Parliament sleepily discuss the abstract social questions to which the Government invites their attention, and the Southern members monopolise any money that is available for public works. "We have had enough of the legislation that we are not worrying ourselves for. Let us now have some of the public works on our goldfields that we want, and that are essential to our progress.