The Feilding Star. THURSDAY. JUNE 22, 1893. Opening of Parliament

Feilding Star, 22 June 1893, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY. JUNE 22, 1893. Opening of Parliament

» To-day the last session of the present Parliament was commenced in the Empire City. Although, during the recess. Ministers have done an immense amount of travelling, yet it is not anticipated that there will be any lack of business brought forward. Whether much useful work will be done remains to be seen. It is anticipated that in view of the general elections (which will take place, we believe, in December) many of the members, if not all of them, will be on their best behavior, but at the same time will not neglect their opportunities of addressing their several constituencies through the pages of Hansard. This, however, will not prevent the session being closed in about two months, we are told by those who profess to be well informed on that part of the subject. Of course we have no idea of tbe new measures which Ministers will deem of the most urgent importance, but we expect that the Labor Bills and Women's Franchise in the new Electoral Bill, will not be left in the back-ground. With the substantial majority of the Ministerial pnrty, the latter should hare no difficulty in forcing through the House of Representatives any Bills they choose, and as a majority has now been created in the Legislative Council by the addition of new members, the fate of their Bills may also be looked upon as assured with that august body. No doubt the leader of the Opposition, Mr Rolleston, will recognise the numerical weakness of his purty, and, therefore, will not prolong contests which are certain to result in hia defeat. That he and his followers will fully discusa and criticise the policy of the Government, we hope and expect, for the benefit of that portion of the country whom they repre sent in Parliament, but we do not desire that they should attempt anything further, for any such attempt can only be looked upon as hopeless.

Victoria is experiencing the disadvantages of an exodus of the better kind of working men, and the Melbourne Argus says on the subject : — " Nothing more significant of the paralysis of enterprise which has befallen us could be imagined than the exodus of willing and industrious and self-reliant workers from our shores. The steamers leaving for England carry but too many who prefer to try their fortune once more in the Old Country. The steamers that call at Cape Town are filled with people anxious to better themselves in that great South African colony, which is itself happily strong enough and has been so uniquely patriotic as to offer its assistance to the Australian provinces of the Empire. That those men should be allowed to drift away is a shame to the management of the colony." The only remedy seems to be to run the colony on business principles and to utterly abolish the " professional politician " who developes from a " labor agitator " of to-day, into a Minister of the Crown to-morrow.

Thk Premier is determined to keep up his reputation as a terror to the unemployed, who expect the Government to make work for them. When a deputation of these waited on Mr Heddon, in Wellington, yesterday morning, and urged him to push on the Northern Trunk Railway, and | other works, to provide employment, Mr Seddon questioned the deputation as to how long they had been in New Zealand, and found that not onu of tbeui bad been iv this colony longer

than a few months, and some only a few weeks. Mr Seddon then told * them that the Government would do their best, and if the names and ad- I dresses of the men were supplied, they ( would be referred to the Labor Bureau to see what could be done. All other things being equal, New Zealanders ! and married men would have the j preference. The result was reported to a meeting outside and appeared to give rise to some dissatisfaction. We are much pleased to notice that the , meeting of unemployed, to be held \ to-day, will take place on the reclaimed land, in Wellington, the Premier having refused to allow any more such assemblages to be hold on the Government Building grounds.