The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1895. THE END OF THE SESSION.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 105, 31 October 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1895. THE END OF THE SESSION.

The second session of the present Parliament is now to all intents and purposes ended. The work done is in a miserably small proportion to the time occupied in useless discussions on uninteresting subjects. The tinkering with the Customs Tariff not only did direct injury to commerce and trade, but has lost the colony vast sums of money, and promises in the near future to result in a falling revenue. We admit that with the limited knowledge and restricted intelligence of a majority of the members of Parliament, it may be looked upon as an impossibility to adjust a tariff which could claim to have the virtue of' finality, but we certainly think that when one has been found to meet the circumstances of the settlers, and the latter have adapted themselves to it, the greatest prudence and care should be exercised in attempting to alter it. The only really good work done during the session was the banking legislation. We know that much can be said against this opinion, but we also know that more can be said in its favor, a»d we confidently assert that the action «f jfche Government in this respeqt has saved the colony from financial disaster of the gc&sms& feind. Another good thing is that many of tho members have been given opportunities of showiug how remarkably unfit they are to represent the people, and to their credit, or discredit, they have largely availed themselves of such opportunities. The Hon. John McKenzie said recently in Palmeeston that the present Parliament would compare favorably with that oi any other of the Australian colonies, but

he dared not say that the mental calibre of its members was equal to that of their predecessors of even ten years ago. Had he done so the last scenes of the dying session would have amply refuted the statement. Taken as a whole — with the solitary exception of the banking legislation — the electors have reason to be disappointed with the actions of their representatives. There are a few honorable exceptions we admit, and they will have their reward.