The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea-Rangitikei Advortiser. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 19th, 1900

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 19 September 1900, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea-Rangitikei Advortiser. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 19th, 1900

.- THE COMING PROROGATION.It is evident that Ministers nre anxious to bving tho session to n close as early as pos- . sible, and a. variety of reasons lire being. , suggested for thc.fejrerish haste .that: is ! being manifested in the effort to close the 'doors of Parliament by the end of the cur- ] rent montli. Some there are who find in tho unsatisfactory state of the Premiers .health the reason for the. speedy termination of the session. Others attribute the "home sickness" to an altogether different | cause. .There are signs of disunity among the members of the big majority, indications that some hitherto docile fellpwers are be- | ginning' to icjiscredifc nnd to question the infallibility:; of .their political idols;] and thesp things are taken by some p'eo'plcrto account for the Premier's anxiety to win favour for 'the "euvly closing" movement. Delay.-; are dangerous, and it is of course j quite" possib c that Mr Seddon sees in I a long-drawn-out session the danger of the already apparent blossoms of discord ripening into open mutiny. The Wellington correspondent of the; Otago, Daily Times, usually a •well-informed authority, suggests a third reason for the rapidly approaching ; ' jirorogdtioiu "It will be remembered," ho says, "that a cablegram appeared in the newspapers recently that tho lineprinl Parliament is soon to be prorogued, provided decisive news is received from South Africa in the meantime. Now, it is generally understood that Mr W. P. Reeves has a strong inclination to enter political life in England— probably as. the leader of the Labour Party,— and knowing that such a plan is incompatible with his position as Agent-General, he is doubt" ess anxious to bo relieved from his present' office at an early date. It is almost certain that the Premier is making arrangements for » visit to America mid England as s,oon as ho can conclude the business of the session. He no doubt wants to be in England in order to participate in the great j national" rejoicings in connection with the icturri o£ the. troops from South Africa, krowing tliai. 'owing to the spirited Imperi- '< alism he has shown recently, almost any honour ho might desire would be willingly conferred on him. All this points to the fact that tho present is to be Mr Seddon's last session as head . of the Government. He will probably go Home as Premier, as that would secure him special attention and importance, and after the peace celebrations 4ire over he may take the position of Agent-General, and permanently settle down in England. There is a wonderful unanimity of opinion among members on both sides of the House that something of this kind will occur." As against' this, however, it must be .remembered that Mr Seddon has asserted that he has no intent-ion oC taking over the ollice of the jenHon/s representative in London. Early in flic session, and in reply to Unptain Russell, the Right Hon the Premier paid:--"I have tio intention whatever of .going Home as t'h<^ Agent-General of -the colony. My duty is here, and as long as my health will permit it, my services will he at tie disposal of the colony. Ido not want to go Home as the Agent-Ueneral, who has to act under the direction of the Government." This, if avc accept Mr Seddon lias having spoken seriously (and it would be difficult 'to take such an emphatic assertion in any other way), completely dissuones of jthe Agent-General theory. For ourselveK, w«s tWnfc. thy real solution is tp bo found in the two Jlrsl-ffifintfimed feifsoms—tho Premier's health iind the umiiiui.ageable party. As v matter of fact there is nothing unusual in the hurry and bustle which- is now characterising tho proceeding.!, of I'avKtunent. It is consistent with tho past practice of tho present Ministry,

to waste valuable time in the earlier weeks of '» session and to scramble important »| busfness land far-reaching laws through a s weary ''Eonie by dint of long hours and r high pressure during the c osing days. It, « j.j a vicious practice of which is begotten > crude and ill-framed laws and rash and 'ill- t considered legislation. In the past the c eveufto hr.s been that the Opposition have 1 wasted the time, and that the Government s havo- i« consequence been forced to rush c r. lot of workNthiough in the manner com- ! plained of. Such a plea cannot be urged 1 on this occasion. The -Opposition have J been wondrously silent. .They not only re- ( i'rained firm debuting the A<ldress-in-Re- s p y, but they also sat silent in regard to the Financial Statement. There is no valid '• leuson why the impoitant policy measures , of the Government could not have been j dealt with long ago, instead of being hung ' up till the end of the session. As it is, ] tho representatives of thp people will not bo. doing their duty if they allow the bus- : incss of the country to be slummed mere'y ' for tho sake' of gratifying Mr Seddon's do- ; tiro to close tho doors of Parliament at (lit end of the present month. Members ; oi Parliament in New Zealand are paid : to do tho work of the country, and to do ' ii properly. That they cannot do if they ai'3 fagged by all-i^ght sittings. If they ar? truo vo themselves and to the people they repicsent they will insist on transacting tho business of the country in reasonable, hours, even though they should have to sit on until November to do it. The two special reasons suggested for hmriedly closing down the present session nre inadequate. Tho ill-health of the Premier, much as it is to be legrette;!, cannot be said to be a valid excuse for "slumming" the business of Parliament, while the troublesome majority, unpleasant though it may be for the party leadeis, is a mutter which should certainly not be allowed to come between the representatives of the people and their duty.