The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1889. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2211, 28 August 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1889. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.

The Premier's statement on Monday night acquaints ns officially of what results may be expected from the present session of Parliament. By the time prororagation is arrived at, say m a fortnight, Parliament will have been sitting for nearly three months, and surely never was time more fruitlessly wasted than has been tbe most of this period. First of all timejwas fooled away by the Government by introducing and compelling the discussion of measures which were never intended to become law. Then the Property Tax Bill was the occasion of further —as it now appears — useless debate, for the Bill, after being made a vital question, and as such forced through the seoond reading, has now bren placed at the bottom of the order paper, which is an almost certain sign that it will not be further persevered with. It is impossible to criticise the Ministerial policy, for the simple. reason that they have had none, but it will call for some impudence on the part of the supporters of Sir Harry Atkinson and hjs subordinates to enable them to say that tl\e Government have had a successful session. What has been the fate of the Ministerial measures ? " Hare system" Bill withdrawn ; Legislative Council Reform, thrown out by the Council ; Copyright Bill, abandoned m the Upper House ; Medical Practitioners' Bill, doomed to a similar fate ; Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill, practically dropped ; Bankruptcy Bill, quietly shelved ; Civil Service Classification, which was promised m the Governor's speech, not even brought forward. The Premier says the Registration of Electors Bill is to be persevered with * and this, if passed, will be the sole important Qovernnjent measure to mark the three months' session. Those m search of something to be fli-Tifcfnl fnr i» *> I**'1 **' ■•£■«— U— -.«.,«. ..a^a r -o ceedings may find it m the facts which have been conspicuously demonstrated that the present Government having made almost no attempt to govern the country are unfit to occupy the Minis teral benches, and that the Council by its disregard of popular feelings and requirements is m urgent need of drastic reform. By the manner m which the Government have dealt witb the business of the country not only bave they a barren record for themselves, but many useful measures introduced by private members have fallen victims to the disorganisation of Parliamentary business.