THE WORK OF THE SESSION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12642, 1 November 1905, Page 5

THE WORK OF THE SESSION.

THE PREMIER PATS HIS OWN

BACK.

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, October 31. After the Appropriation Bill was passed a>t eight o'clock this morning the Premier made a statement, in which he said, in reviewing what he termed " one of tlhe most in'tereeiting and unique sessions in tihe histtory of (the New Zealand Parliament," .that, notwithstanding the serious drawback through a matter which occupied so much time, the laws passed weir© of a more important and far-reaching character, and also exceeded in bulk, thosa placed on the Statute Book of any expiring session of any Parliament ht> had known. Certainly they had passed a number- of compiling ianc{ consolidating Bilk, tut, apart altogether from fhftt, members would realise later that .they had no reason to regret the result of their labours so far as their enactments were concerned He referred particularly to the Old Age Pension Extension, the provision made for school teachers, and the classification of the civil service, mentioning particularly in the last respect that they had done what had been af^ tempted twenty years ago, and which, had since lain darmanit. There were also the increased pay and lighter hours to tlhe railway sea-vants, in connection with which his colleague (Sir J. G. Ward) had "been engaged long before the session began. ATI these had entailed increased expenditure, and those benefited would feel satisfied that Parliament had done its duty by them. Altogether, (he believed that—compared with the results .achieved by other expiring Parliaments—it/he work of this one would stand out in bold relief.