THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2017, 11 August 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1880.

The massacre of the innocents has been announced by. the Premier, with an exordium referring to the unsatisfactory progress made by the House in its business. Mr, Hall was pleased to state that he was not prepared to say what the reason of this was, while Mr. Macandrew kindly helped him out of his difficulty by suggesting that it was, in a great measure, due to the want of system on the part of the Government in the manner in which they had brought on the business. The public at large, however, will neither share the difficulty found by tho Premier in searching for a reason nor will it agree with Mr. Macandrew in his explanation. It will turn to the records of the earlier part of the session, and will there find chronicled a Waste of time terrible to contemplate. And it was not the mere waste of days on days only which told against real business being done, hut measures on their way through the House were interrupted, and the machinery went, so to speak, out of gear, while members were enjoying themselves in party fights or in theoretical plannings. Take for instance Sir George Grey’s vote of want of confidence. No reasonable individual doubted what the result of the debate would be. That the Liberal party was utterly disorganised no one know better than Sir George himself, for he had just “jumped” the leadership himself. And yet the streams of eloquence that commenced on the subject on June 17 th, were not dried up till July Ist, a clear waste of a fortnight in the heart of the session. Indeed, until quite lately, far too much talking has been indulged in, and the present crush of unfinished Bills has long been looked for. Those utterly thrown overboard include many very useful measures, with which, as Mr. Hall said, it will bo a pleasure, on some future occasion, to make further acquaintance. Amongst those which the Government call desirable Bills are some of the most important that have been brought in this session. It is only necessary to mention tho Native Bills, tho Licensing Bill, and tho Representation Bill to show tho great area and the heavy interests covered by these Bills. About the passing of them, however, the Government is only able to state that their fate will depend on tho passing of others which are absolutely essential to the financial measures for placing tho finances of the country on

a sound basis. If tho session is to close within a reasonable time, it is hard indeed to see how all the desirable Bills are to pass the ordeal and become law. Such a result would he a phenomenon which the Liberals would take care to prevent. And more particularly would this bo the case with regard to the Representation Bill. Should it he proposed to bring this Bill into force at once, wo cannot but think that those gentlemen who were so very anxious about their own stipends would scarcely care to sacrifice themselves for their country’s good more than was absolutely necessary. Our Liberal member, for instance, Mr. S. P. Andrews, fought against the reduction of the honorarium with a steadiness of resolve worthy of a better cause. It was obvious that the minimum of self immolation was quite consistent with the most burning love of the working men, whose salaries were being reduced all over the country. A speedy dissolution and attendant expenses will evidently not suit these gentlemen, and we shall he very much surprised if they do not succeed in burking the measure if any attempt is made to bring its provisions into force at once. Even if it is proposed to let the present Parliament die out before the new distribution of seats comes into the effect, the patriots par excellence will not he altogether satisfied with the passing of the measure. They have chosen of late to represent the Government as wishing above everything to destroy this measure, which, they say, contains the seeds of a great social reform. The ordinary observer will hardly look upon the Bill as a very extraordinary one, or as one likely to stir society to its depths, but that is the dictum of the patriots, and nothing would please them so much as a failure to pass it. The Government are little likely to ho very emotional on the subject, hut will, doubtless, do their heat to get the measure through the House, for it is very evident that the representation requires readjustment. But supposing it to ho passed, the general success of the present session would be something too hard for the Liberals to hear. The Bill has friends on both sides of the House. On the Government side there are the unemotional friends, who honestly wish to see it law. On the Opposition side there are tho highly emotional friends, from whom it is to be trusted that the Bill may be saved. We had hoped that volunteering matters wore on the way to a revival. At the general inspection tho other day a flourish of trumpets by the commanding officer proclaimed that more life was to he thrown into the movement, and several officers subsequently proposed the initiation of Saturday afternoon parades. But what has come of all this fanfare ? Nothing whatsoever. The volunteers were, tho other night, informed that it would be notified in the evening papers if the parade would come off or not on Saturday last. There was absolutely nothing to prevent tho drill being carried on. A comparatively large number were ready to put in an appearance, hut the notice was not inserted. And why not, wo would like to ask. Are tho authorities so wedded to the gaslight masquerades that they cannot prevail upon themselves to try the open air by way of a change ? Is the celebrated dramatic piece “ Under the Gaslight, or tho Christchurch "Volunteer,” to be played to the end of time ? Would it not be rather better to let a little sunlight on to the subject, to give our gallant defenders some ideas on skirmishing, outpost duty, &c., &c. ? In any case, it would he advisable to make no promises of amendment when, apparently, there is no intention of carrying them out.