Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] TUESDAY,JUNE 30, 1903. A LONG LANE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7499, 30 June 1903, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Quarter of a Century.] TUESDAY,JUNE 30, 1903. A LONG LANE.

"It is a long lane which has no turning 1" Wo have travelled tho long Opposition lano for a dozen years, and we sti'l havo to come to tho turning. Will tho turning bo found during tho present session '? The indications favour a change, but tho turning may be in more than one direction. It may tako us to our destination ; or bear us still further away from it. Tho unexpected always happens; and it is idlo to speculate upon tho unexpected. Tho Premier has established a record in ollice; and, having accomplished this, it would certainly bo " tho unexpected " if ho held his position much longer. New forces come into the field with tho present Parliament— disturbing influences which will tax even tho wonderful resources of Mr Seddon. The younger men aro trying to push their way to the front, and sooner or later they must get there; for tho Premier is now a veteran, and time is ou the sido of tho younger men. But what is our destination '} Merely honest Government, and better powers of local self-govern-ment. Now Zealand wants to bo free, and not tho slave of one man who usurps all power.

Yesterday, tho New Zealand Times wrote as follows:—" Tho positions of dignity and responsibility, now vacant, are at the absoluto disposal of tho members of the respective branches of tho Legislature; and it would therefore be rash to predict, and not in the best taste to assume, that the choice will fall upon particular persons." This is an oxample of tho way things are dono now. Has not the Premier intimated that Messrs Walker and Guinness aro to be tho respective Speakers of the two Houses; and, after this intiination, does any one believo that either House is free tp mako another choice. Wo bolievo that the Premier's control over both Houses is absolute at present; but tho new elcmen's iv the popular Chamber may, in a short time, acquiro sulliciont confidence tp think and act for themselves. Many of thoso who aro classed as Government supporters, already have openly expressed dissent with the policy of tho Government ; and it remains to bo seen whether thoy will " cat their words " when thoy settle down in their places in Parliament, or stand to their pledges. They must oithor sacrifico thoir constituencies to the Premier—or tho Premier to their constituencies. As yet there is but ono man in Now Zealand; but a Colony liko this cannot always remain in loading strings.

.'.' Tubue is bound to bo a row 1 " is, we jbclicvc, tho title of a favorite ditty of a certain Now Zealand Cabinet Minister ; «,*id is specially applicable to tho new tablo of precedence which gives the Hon. Hall-Jones and tbe Hon. Charles Mills precedence over tho Chief Justice Tho protest of the Chief Justico would lias'G been very dignified, if ho had only omitted from it his compensation claim. The average Colonist does not caro two pins abou.t precedence He judges each man by his intrinsic worth' and valuo. " Tho rank is but the guinea's stamp, tho man's tho gowd for a' that." If thoro is any dignity wo would liko to sco ■kept up, it is that of the Chief Justico ; and we aro with him in his objection to the new table of prricodencp. far as politicians go, thoy doubtless need all the dignity thoy can collar; and wo do not blame them for clutching at an oxtra coat of veneer—but they should not do this at tho expense of tho Chiof Justice. Who would havo thought that " tho first' wig'on the gr&on," this session, would have been a judge's ?