The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1904. THE SESSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8162, 9 November 1904, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1904. THE SESSION.

Tih« session which ended yesterday will be remembered less for the new legislation passed than for the consolidating and amending work done. In respect to entirely fresh legislation, it was singularly barren. It is true that the schedule of business, show® that, of one hundred and seventyfive Bills introduced, eighty received the Royal assent, the other ninety-five being dropped os: " otherwise disposed of." But the eighty included few measures which can be said to strike out into untrodden paths. Indeed, it would appear that the colony, formerly so noted for its progressiveness, had called a halt as. regards legislation calculated to stimulate its march forward. This, it may be admitted, from certain paints of view, is a good thing. We advanced very rapidly for some years, and, it is" just as well, perhaps, that we should pause and v look around before taking a fresh step forward. But this policy of caution, though admirable enough in its way, (San be carried to an extreme. We will not go as for as to declare that it has been carried too far already; but we see a danger that this may be tihe case. The colony is prosperous just now, and prosperity, we know, breeds apathy in public affairs. The average elector is satisfied because he is comfortably sdtuatod, and he is ready to leave matters as they are, conscious tihat, though things might be better, they might be a great deal worse. Perhaps if w© were less prosperous he might be more critical. There is nothing like a little adyers'.ty to awaken an interest in the affairs of the country and to quicken a desire for progress. If, therefore, in respect to advanced legislation we are moving too slowly to please a,certain section of the electors; the fact may be attributed principally to the prosperity winch now reigns in the colony. But the present legislative stagnation is not entirely due to this fact. It must be attributed partly to ihe Government of the day. It has long been ap 1-; parent that Mr Seddon and his colleagues have caught some of tihe'prevailing apathy. We do not know that they are much to blame. The Government is supposed to reflect public opinion, and if public opinion 'goes to sleep'it is but natural that'the Government also should indulge in a rest. But there are signs that public opinion j» beginning to rouse itself. Those signs are not very marked, but they are apparent, nevertheless, in the growing imitation over the extraordinary manner in which the business of Parliament is conducted. The electors are at last beginning to resent the, recurring spectacle of Parliament working by fits and starts. They have been very patient and'very, apathetic, but there are signs that either their patience is becoming exhausted or "their apathy is disappearing: When ■ttiey are thoroughly awake' \re shall expect' to hear them demanding a great many things. Most certainly they will insist on a forward move in respect to legislation, and without doubt they will make it clear that the vicious practice of legislation by • exI haustion must be abandoned. The Government will be insuring ite own stability if it takes warning from the signs as we have read them. .