The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1907. THE WORK OF THE SESSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2165, 22 August 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1907. THE WORK OF THE SESSION.

To thoso who believe that New Zealand lias in the past suffored from over legislation, the attitude of the present Government must be extremely satisfactory. No Ministry that ever came into power promised so much, and none has achieved so little. Parliament has now been sitting for upwards of six weeks and still members are waiting for the real business of tho session to commence. Sir Joseph Ward expresses himself as gratified with the progress made, but, if that bo the case, lie must bo an easily-satisfied individual. Tho usual farce of putting through their preliminary stages a number of Bills that have not tho faintest chance of being placed on the Statute Book, has been renew'ed, numberless questions of purely local significance have been asked, and either answered or evaded by Ministers, every device known in Parliamentary practico has been introduced to assist tho taihoa policy, but scarcely any question of national importance has yet been discussed. Tho Government lias introduced its Land Bills and has formulated a new Tariff, but apparently hesitates to give members the opportunity to discuss either. Presumably tho effect of laying down in definite shape tho remnants of its originally ambitious attempt at land reform proved so exhausting to the Ward Cabinet that a lengthy interval of recuperation is needed before it is called upon to defend the measures. Fortunately the administration of various public departments appears to have improved since the present Government took office, though ’the state of affairs revealed in regard to the position of the Chief Customs expert is by no means reassuring. The country has a right to expect that the Ministry will give members an early opportunity to discuss its policy measures. Further delay can only be taken as a reflection upon the character of Parliament as a dignified political organisation with recognised duties towards the peoplo who have appointed it.