The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1883.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4793, 10 September 1883, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1883.

Thb SBBBION ia ovbb, and its hrief existence reminds one of that touching epitaph on an infant's grave, " Seeing that I so sodta was done for, I wonder what I was begun for !'' To vote the estimates, would, we presume, be the answer of Minister!. On every hand we find the same criticism, that the session has been one of the most useless and barren onet ever held by the Parliament of New Zealand. The speeoh from the Throne promised a budget of measures of great importance, but with the single exception of a Bankruptcy Aot, they have all been either dropped or defeated. The faot it that of late yeari the New Zealand Pailiament hat degenerated into a mere parith vestry, or Boad Board as somebody oalled it, and the only Bubjeot of any interest has been the apportionment of publio money to looal works. The rapid diminution of the sum to be thus apportioned has canted an equal diminution in the questions of interest to be diioußsed. The political apathy, of whioh bo muoh has been said, simply amounts to this, that the Government, having no more millions to squander, is allowed to do pretty much bb it likes about everything else. And as the Government sees that the country does not oare anything about new legislative measures, it quietly drops them. The hurry to close the session is, we think, to be explained by the anxiety of the Government to get rid of awkward questions before proceeding to deal with the Natives in the North Island. Very little attention has been given to tbe accounts that have been reoeived of the turning baok of surveyors, and the threats made if they persisted in their work. So far bb we have heard, no steps have yet been taken by the Native Minister to force on the surveys, but we may be pretty sure that Mr Bryoe does not intend to let matters rest in their present condition. Nor it it right that he should. It it Bimply ridiculous to allow these people to Bet themselves above the law in the way they have hitherto done. Boads must be made, and before they can be made the oountry mutt be properly turveyed. Mr Bryoe it not the man to iubn.it quietly to having the surveyors turned back. Now tbat the sesiion is over he will be able to devote his full attention to thit matter, and we may expeot toon to hear come news from the Native distriots.