The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, NOVEMBER 25, 1903.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1056, 25 November 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, NOVEMBER 25, 1903.

CLOSE OF THE SESSION. Yesterday morning the Parliamentary session was brought, to a close, much to the relief of everybody. It was the usual condition of things in a more aggravated form. At the outset months of valuable time was wasted, and towards the close, the important measures were, brought on and rushed through in such a way that members were quite unfit to give them anything like the consideration they deserved. The Government is to blame for this had arrangement of the country’s business, and it is as well that Ministers be given plainly to understand that the people do not appreciate this clumsy way of doing things. It has _ been declared, as some s;>rt of palliation that the measures brought down in the'dying hours of the session were indicated in the Governor’s Speech. That would form some sort of defence if people felt that they could seriously take the Speech as clearly indicating the intentions oi Government. The experience has always been that the Speech can he quietly thrust aside as soon as it is delivered, for all the reliance that can he placed upon its pronouncement of the measures intended to be dealt with. It would be pleasing to know that this scepticism, so justifiable in past years, can in future be ■ dispensed with. But even then,, no excuse could ■be found for the delay .of tire most important measures until a period when members and the public generally are heartily tired of the protracted style of doing things. Much of the time that is frittered away is no doubt due to the talkativeness of certain members, and even, such an organise* as Mr Seddon could, not hope to control their loquacity, but he could at least turn it into more profitable channels. ' There is, however, a suspicion that the Government designedly adopted the course which was pursued, allowing membcrsMo fritter away as much time as they chose,. and then, when the time seemed ripe for getting The Government measures through, ■ bringing them in with a rush and scurry that might be confusing to members, hup was plain sailing for those who had conceived and adopted these tactics. We may be doing the Government an injustice in any supposition of the kind, but otherwise the position is quite unexplainable except on the ground of “drift.” Few would apply such a term tp Mr Seddon’s methods, and it is more feasible that lie sent the happy band of pleasureseekers off to view the beauties of the Islands—some to write alleged poetry thereon—so that they be to some extent fitted for the ordeal that awaited them,