The Western Star. (PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, 1880.

Western Star, Issue 377, 4 September 1880, Page 2

The Western Star. (PUBLISHED 81-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, 1880.

The Parliamentary session has ended, looking back at the results, the first sentiment experienced by most- people will "be that of disappointirient. . Only one very important thing seems to have been done, but that one ic all important —it is retrenchment. Audit ought always be recollected that the üßefulnees of a session consists not so much in the number as in the quality of the measures passed into law during its term. Eoolish Acts of Parliament only cumber the statute book, render the state of the law obscure, require much labour to repeal, and are worse than no Acts at all. And theii,' too, retrenchment in our reckless, almost mad expenditure, was the one thing needful this year. For along time past all the surrounding colonies hare stood amazed at our incessant squandering of money on undroductive projects, and our definite

policy of necjnt.intfner onft ' oan a fter another, onlv in or ler to keep ourselves financially afloat for a very short period, onlv looking at the present, and and regardless of the almost, immediate future. Happily for us the poh'ev of nur Q-revs and Marandrewshas at last been discarded; it has b;>en found with some alarm that the polony was iu-t on the verge <vf insolvency, and it has been decided henceforth to live within our means. The expenditure on the Civil Service has been reduced. Minister* have reduced their own salaries 20 per cent; even the vulgar _• eed of the mpmbprs oF our Legi-da-ture has conceded a reduction of 10 per cent, on tbeir own pauperaria, a property tax has been imposed, »nd an excise tax on beer, and the schedule of public works to be cons f ruptprl has been cut down. Indeed, the Opposition have modified the Ministerial proposals for retrieving our finances, so as actually to effect an even larger some respects the reductions will press amount of saving tlian was proposed. Tn heavily, and perhaps unjustly on individuals ; in some the savings have not been in exactly the right direction, and nothing but the urgent necessity for attempting to make both ends meet would justify th<» course the Ministry have taken. In this case the end to be gained was all important, and though it does not justify, it may perhaps pall'ate the means. Tt would doubtless bare been more satisfactory if something pise h d bpen done besides retrenchment, and there would have been a fair quantity of useful WiVaMon had it not, been for the uppnliar pourse of action taken bv the ' Onnosition. Parliament met earlier than usual; quite early enough for plenty of work to be got through. Bnt first of all week after week was wasted in idle discussion of motions of want of confidence in the Ministry. An enormous quantity of valuable time was wasted bv the incompetent gamblers of the Grev and Macandrew tvpe, who had brought the colony into its dangerous financial position, and were helpless in dragging it out. making a frantic grasp at tie power and patronage of office. And when tbat effort failed, instead of acting as an organised Opposition, with a definite policy to carrv out. half a dozen leaders, or would be leaders, started up, and Messrs Pvke, De Lantour, Moss, and other nincompoops led in small cliquesto obstruct the business of the country, which they were utterly incompetent to govern. conseouene.e has been tbat the Licensing Pill, B'lls affcptincr Native Lands, Representation, lotteries, and many nth*>r important subjects have all fallen through.

It is quite trnp, however, that even the time spent in discussing tlvse subjects has not 1 ppn altogpthpr lost. The "Ministry appear to have been too careless as regards the presentation nf these bills in such a matured form as to disarm effective opposition. Having laid hold of some good idea, they have not taken sufficient trouble to anticipate the objections which miodit be raised to the dptni's of Ibeir bills, and to disarm hostility. Perhins on calm reflection the pn'lic om'nion of the p.'donv will be so far in favour of the'o bills that mombers will be enmnened next session to assent to their leadinoprmpiples. A good deal will be {rained by a pareful consideration of the Ministerial proposals, even if the result should be a determination to effect some amendments in tbem. Tn re fleeting also on the remits of the past session, it ouerhf nnt to be forgotten that the four Foyl Commissions appointed have all of them issued reports containing much valuable matter on the Rtibiecta respectively examined into, so that npxt year our legislators will be furnished wi'h far more extensive and accurate data for legislation than they have possessed for a long time past.