The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 1883. Parliament.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 40, 6 September 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, SEPT. 6, 1883. Parliament.

<» As the dnys of tt-e present Parliament are drawing to a close, the members, for the most part, do not appeur to wish to make theii exit from the stau;e of their labors with dignity. It, is hard to underst nd how men, who are supposed to be the picked men of the Coionv, should so *ar forget, wlmt i.« due to their sovernl position* (u6 ivj >!•<•- sen tatives of intelligent constituencies} assembled together fur the purposes -<i legislation, and the proper conduct oi the general business of the Colony they ore elected to assist in governing The magnitude or importance of die duties they have been deputed to ! n!n'i does not seem to be realised, and they have been aptly described as " a lot of schoolboys killing time, or very dull members of a young man's debating club." The House has indeed fallen from its high estate, and from being, us it was, the most decorous and di^nifi- d in tlie Australian Colonies, it has become one of the idlest, most talkative, most frivolous and most empty At one time a member was reproved for %< drawing a red herring across the scent," and strenuous efforrs were made by the whipper.s in to keep youngdogs from running after a false trail. JNow the reverse is the case, for no sooner is the proverbial {i herring " drawn, than the whole hunt is after it, all apparently delighted to be taken away from real business in order than they may revel iv rudeness and personal altercations without let or hindrance, while valuable time is frittered away in profitless and childish wrangling. The unfortunate part is, that the unhappy taxpayers have to bear the burden. If the country j-ot any return for the money expended during the session in the payment of members and the heavy costs incidental to the meeting of Parliament, the elec/ors would be somewhat satisfied, but such will only be the "case to ;i very limited extent, altogether out of proportion with the actual money -ijpoiit No doubt next session will find members on their good behaviour, for its- termination will witness the political death of a good many of them and the country can well afford to wish them a speedy dissolution. Whether constituencies will have profited by the, bitter lesson they have received in another matter. It is just probable that the same kind of men may be again returned, bearing different names, but having the same characteris'ics of blatant ignorance, or crass stupidity. 'Hie day may come when electors will be slow to believe in what are called "rough diamonds," and will recurn men only because they are intelligent, moderately well educated, and have an honest intention to work steadily and well in the performance of their legislative functions. At the next general election it will puzzle raanv of the candidates who have sat in Piirliumcat during the past sessions, to explain awa} f the frivolity of their past c< induct , and the general ui'fi'ness they have displayed for political business, but no doubt they will place implicit reliance on the pullibibility of human nature to secure their return, and iheir faith will, likely enough, be only top well founced.