The Star. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1908. THE SESSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9318, 19 August 1908, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1908. THE SESSION.

After an adjournment of ten days' duration for the purpose of getting its second wind. Parliament is resuming its deliberations to-day. Judging from the reports of those members who journeyed south, the House is a good deal more occupied with the date of prorogation than with the prospects of the legislation it is to be asked to consider. It is confidently predicted that members will get away to their homes about the middle of October, and if that forecast should be anything like accurate, there will be but a thin Statute Book to represent the work of the session. So far, practically nothing has been done, and such policy measures as were spoken of in the Speech from the Throne have still to be considered. One or two minor measures ' have been passed, and the House has spent some times upon the Consolidated Estimates, which have bean brought down earlier this year than for very many years past. There is still a considerable amount of work to be done on these Estimates, and when they are finally disposed of tho House is promised the Public Works Statement and Estimates. The introduction of these has generally been regarded in the past as a sign, that the close of tlie session is at hand, and once members have attended to the individual requirements of their districts/ they are generalty eager to be leaving for their homes, unless legislation of the utmost importance is still to be transacted. The early introduction of the Estimates, and the delibcr- . ate but inexplicable- waste of ten days of tne session in connection with the American fleet celebrations, tend to justify the belief which is held, even by some members of the Government Party, that the Ministry is not at all anxious for either a long or a fruitful session, and that when the time comes there will be a more wholesale slaughter of the innocents than usual. The indications really point in this direction, for Sir Joseph Ward" has already practically confessed that he does not inI tend to proceed with the Second Ballot Bill, owing to wido differences of opinion among the party concerning its merits, but will leave the question for the electors to decide at the general election. Just how the electors are to decide it has not been made clear, and the explanation of the abandonment of the Bill reads like a cheap and unworthy subterfuge. The Bill amending the Arbitration Act is still before the Labour Bills Committee, and the Government is committed to the passage of this contentious measure in some form, but with the exception of this Bill and tho Manawatu Railway Bill, which is another matter of necessity, it is difficult to see what public measures will bo taken up and put through all their stage.?. The Arbitration Act will occupy a good deal of time, and as private members are not likely to relinquish any of their weekly privileges, it can easily be seen that to close in October will mean the abandonment of practically the bulk of the legislative programme. This will, suit the campaigning book of the Opposition, but as it is obvious.. tli at the Government cannot now go to the country with a strong programme of work accomplished, it might just as well go without a list of sins of commission.